A 24-year-old protester has died after disturbing video shows a white jaguar speeding down a closed Seattle freeway into a crowd of George Floyd protesters on the Fourth of July. Summer Taylor died after being transported to Harborview Medical Center, according to The Associated Press. Portland resident Diaz Love, who was also hit, remains in critical condition.
The interstate, I-5, was closed at about 1:40 a.m., when other protesters recorded the car going around vehicles blocking the interstate and hitting the Taylor and Love. Dawit Kelete has been identified as the person driving the vehicle. Although the driver's motivation in the crash is unknown at this time, he was not impaired at the time of the collision, the Washington State Patrol told the AP.
Love was filming the "Black Femme March takes I-5" demonstration on Facebook Live when someone began shouting "Car!" in the recording. The crowd could be seen hurrying to get out of the vehicle’s path before screeching tires and the loud impact bang sounded in the graphic video.
WARNING: This video contains disturbing content that may not be suitable for younger readers.
The driver didn’t stop after the collision, but a protester was able to chase him down and force him to stop, which led to the driver’s arrest, Trooper Chase Van Cleave told the AP. He was booked Saturday morning into King County Correctional Facility on two counts of vehicular assault and is due back in court Monday.
Seattle protesters have shut down the interstate with demonstrations for 19 days since the inhumane detainment Floyd died shortly after on May 25, the AP reported. He died in police custody after video shows a Minneapolis cop kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes.
At one point in the protesters’ days long effort, the Washington State Patrol announced it would close the interstate for demonstrations on June 27.
The agency, however, reversed that decision following the deadly crash. Capt. Ron Mead said the freeway is "simply not a safe place" for pedestrians and blocking it is "unlawful behavior," according to the AP. "My hope is, as a result of this tragedy, protesters will reconsider their desire to be on the interstate because I cannot guarantee their safety, plain and simple," he added.
Activists are calling for an additional arrest to be made in the crash. “1) The driver who struck the protesters didn’t act alone,” Kristin Mink tweeted Sunday. “Accomplices at large. 2) Police had left 1 on-ramp open 3) An officer had been circling & threatening protesters in her personal vehicle.”
Love said in a Facebook post the day before the crash that “the death threats from various hate groups is real.” “I’ll be shocked if some major tragedy doesn’t take place in one of our protests in the States this weekend,” she added. “To say I’m scared af to be going out and protesting this weekend is an understatement. But still, my brave Black Femmes will be on their march today. Still, we need to protect Black woman. So I think I'll get in the streets to live stream again tonight.”
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted her condolences for the relatives of both Taylor and Diaz Saturday. “No one should risk their life for demanding better from our city, state and country,” Durkan said in another tweet. “Washington State Patrol is leading the investigation and they have assured us they are quickly and thoroughly investigating the incident. I have offered any city resources needed.”