Dad of slain Seattle CHOP teen files wrongful death suit
The father of a teenage boy who was shot and killed in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone in 2020 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for allegedly encouraging “lawlessness to reign.” Antonio Mays Jr., 16, and a 14-year-old boy were shot by makeshift security in the lawless autonomous zone on June 29, 2020, as they tried to flee in a white Jeep. The lawsuit filed by Antonio Mays Sr. alleges that the CHOP zone was “abandoned without a working plan to provide essential services,” leading to a botched effort by paramedics to reach Mays Jr., and a late police response that allowed for crime-scene tampering.
The suit names the city, county, state, and others and claims that Seattle leaders failed to provide a safe environment within the CHOP zone. Mays Sr.’s lawyer, Evan Oshan, stated that despite having video evidence, there have been no arrests in the case. After the shooting, good Samaritans arranged to take Mays Jr. out of the CHOP zone and to paramedics who could rush him to the hospital. However, when they arrived at the pre-arranged meeting spot, the paramedics allegedly did a U-turn and sped away in the other direction.
The Seattle Fire Department’s spokesperson claimed that the ambulance crew thought the good Samaritans were “a threat.” Mays Jr. died before receiving medical assistance. The Seattle Police Department didn’t arrive at the shooting scene until about five hours later, after the area had already been tampered with, “making the collection of evidence difficult,” according to the lawsuit. Mays had come to Seattle from his home in California for what he thought would be peaceful protests over the police-involved death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The lawsuit claims that Mays “was lured” into the area by then-Mayor Jenny Durkan’s “positive statements about the area” and alleges that the city should have known how dangerous the area had become. Both Mays Jr.’s and 19-year-old Lorenzo Anderson’s deaths led to the shutdown of the autonomous zone on July 1, 2020.
In a statement, Oshan said that they will obtain justice for Antonio Mays Jr. Three years since the CHOP zone incident, Mays Sr. has taken legal action as he received no answers from officials about his son’s death.
FAQs
What was the CHOP zone?
The Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone was a police-free zone in Seattle that was created after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020. It was set up for people to peacefully protest against police violence and racism.
Who was killed in the CHOP zone?
Antonio Mays Jr., a 16-year-old boy, was fatally shot in the CHOP zone after a botched effort by paramedics to reach him. A 14-year-old boy was also shot but survived the attack.
Who filed the wrongful death lawsuit?
Antonio Mays Sr., the father of Antonio Mays Jr., filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the city, county, state, and others.
What does the lawsuit claim?
The lawsuit alleges that the CHOP zone was “abandoned without a working plan to provide essential services,” leading to a botched effort by paramedics to reach Mays Jr., and a late police response that allowed for crime-scene tampering. It also claims that Seattle leaders encouraged lawlessness to reign and failed to provide a safe environment in the CHOP zone.
Has anyone been arrested for the shootings?
Despite having video evidence, there have been no arrests in the case, according to Antonio Mays Sr.’s lawyer, Evan Oshan.
Wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of a teenager who was killed at Seattle CHOP.
The father of a teenager who was shot and killed in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone in 2020 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, claiming it encouraged “lawlessness to reign,” according to newly-filed court papers. Antonio Mays Jr, 16, and a 14-year-old boy were shot by makeshift security in the autonomous zone on June 29, 2020, as they attempted to escape in a white Jeep. Mays’ father, Antonio Mays Sr, alleges that the CHOP zone was “abandoned without a working plan to provide essential services,” impeding efforts by paramedics to reach his son and allowing crime scene tampering. The suit, which names the city, county, state, and others, claims that despite knowledge of the danger posed by the CHOP zone, Seattle leaders “failed Antonio and encouraged lawlessness to reign.” To date, no one has been arrested for the shooting.
The younger boy was injured, but Mays Jr died. Good Samaritans who were present in the CHOP zone reportedly organized to take Mays Jr to paramedics but claim the ambulance crew refused to provide medical assistance, believing the group to be a threat. The lawsuit alleges that Mays Jr “had suffered a painful and gruesome death. He died in agony from his wounds. Instead of fulfilling their duty to Antonio, the paramedics refused to provide medical assistance, despite knowing it was urgently needed.”
The Seattle Police Department did not arrive at the shooting scene for five hours, by which time, according to the lawsuit, the crime scene was heavily tampered with, making evidence collection difficult.
Mays Sr claims that his son wouldn’t have died if paramedics had arrived sooner, and alleges that his son was lured into the area by then-Mayor Jenny Durkan’s “positive statements about the area,” despite the known dangers. Both Mays Jr’s and 19-year-old Lorenzo Anderson’s deaths led to the CHOP zone’s shutdown on July 1, 2020. “This lawsuit and complaint is not about money, it’s about getting justice for my son,” Mays Sr said.