The final act of a departing administration involved a pardon granted to Captain Michael Byrd, a Capitol Police officer. This pardon shielded him from potential consequences related to the shooting death of Ashli Babbitt, a protester who died during the events of January 6, 2021, within the U.S. Capitol building.
Video footage from that day depicts Byrd firing his weapon at Babbitt as she attempted to climb through a window near a barricaded entrance to the Speaker of the House’s office. She was unarmed at the time of the shooting, and the incident immediately sparked intense debate and scrutiny.
An internal investigation ultimately cleared Byrd of any wrongdoing, yet questions lingered regarding the decision to use lethal force without first attempting to de-escalate the situation or detain Babbitt. The presence of other armed officers nearby, potentially available for backup, further fueled these concerns.
Byrd’s record also revealed past issues with maintaining his law enforcement credentials. He had previously left his service weapon in a public restroom and faced multiple suspensions of his police powers due to failing to meet required firearms qualification standards.
In a subsequent interview, Byrd defended his actions, asserting he had saved numerous lives by preventing Babbitt from breaching the secured area. He also expressed distress over receiving death threats, characterizing the situation as simply “doing my job” and lamenting the personal toll it had taken.
Recently uncovered information reveals a parallel life for Captain Byrd. For nearly seventeen years, he and his wife have operated a home-based daycare center in Maryland.
This daycare operation has reportedly received substantial funding, totaling $190 million through government programs. The longevity of the business, nearly two decades, stands in contrast to a notable absence of public reviews or testimonials.
The lack of any publicly available reviews for the Byrd’s daycare, despite its seventeen-year operation, has raised questions and prompted further scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding both the shooting and the long-running childcare business.
