Michael Leroy Byrd
Michael Leroy Byrd

Lieutenant Michael Leroy Byrd is an African-American police officer. Here are 13 more things about him:

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  1. He is a native of Washington, D.C., USA. (a)
  2. He lives in Brandywine, Maryland, USA. (b) (c)
  3. Aside from Brandywine, he has lived in other parts of Maryland including Cheltenham, Clinton and Capitol Heights. (c)
  4. He and his wife have two children. (d)
  5. In 1993, he joined the U.S. Capitol Police. He went on to become the commander of the House of Representatives chamber section of the U.S. Capitol Police. (a)
  6. In February 2019, he was investigated for leaving his department-issued Glock-22 firearm, which fires .40-caliber rounds, unattended in a restroom on the House of Representatives side of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. During a routine security sweep, another officer found the abandoned gun, which had no manual safety to prevent unintended firing. (b)
  7. On January 6, 2021, he used a Glock-22 to fire one shot, striking Ashli Babbitt, 35, in the shoulder as she tried to climb through one of the glass doors leading into the lobby of the House of Representatives chamber inside U.S. Capitol building. She was one of the rioters who breached the building that day. She fell to the ground and later died from her injuries. (a) (b)
  8. He was 53 years old when he shot Babbitt on January 6, 2021. (b)
  9. After shooting Babbitt on January 6, 2021, he remained in Maryland on paid administrative leave. (b)
  10. In February 2021, he and his wife were spotted shopping near their home in Maryland. (c)
  11. On February 25, 2021, the acting House sergeant at arms cited him during a brief discussion of the officer who shot Babbitt. (e)
  12. In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that he was cleared of wrongdoing in relation to the shooting of Babbitt on January 6, 2021 after examining video, physical evidence from the scene, autopsy results and statements from him, other officers and witnesses. Nevertheless, neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor the U.S. Capitol Police officially released his name. (a)
  13. On August 26, 2021, NBC aired his "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" interview, marking the first time he was officially identified as the police officer who shot Babbitt on January 6, 2021. (a)

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