A Black Lives Matter protester was killed after a man drove into a crowd of protesters in Seattle.
What We Know:
- 24-year-old Summer Taylor, spent the last couple of weeks of their life marching for police brutality and equality for black lives.
- On Saturday, Taylor was killed while protesting on Interstate 5 in Seattle, when a man drove his car around a barricade of vehicles onto the highway and into a crowd of protesters around 1:40 a.m.
- Diaz Love was also struck by the car and remains in the intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center.
- Love was filming the protest in a nearly two-hour-long Facebook livestream captioned “Black Femme March takes I-5” when the video ended abruptly. With about 15 seconds left, shouts of “Car!” can be heard as the camera starts to shake before screeching tires and the sound of an impact are heard.
- Katelyn Hoberecht, Summer’s coworker stated “Summer has been there since day one standing up for Black lives. Staying out all day and night, while still working full time taking care of animals.”
- Even former Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, tweeted about Summer.
Absolutely heartbreaking. Summer Taylor was only 24-years-old, peacefully protesting for Black Lives Matter when they were struck by a car. Thinking of their family during this difficult time and everyone in the movement today. pic.twitter.com/i7hqkjSSMH
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 5, 2020
- The driver of the car, Dawit Kelete, fled the scene after hitting the protesters. Another protester got into a car and chased Kelete for a mile before stopping him.
- According to court documents, officer described Kelete as reserved and sullen when they arrested him. Troopers say impairment is not believed to be a factor but the motive is still under investigation.
- A charging decision is expected by Wednesday afternoon, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Kelete could possibly face felony charges.
Kelete is being held in the King County Jail for investigation of vehicular assault. On Monday, a judge set his bail at $1.2 million.
