The below article mentions acts of violence against protestors.
One nonbinary person was injured and a second killed after a car plowed into a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle over the weekend.
Summer Taylor, 24, and Diaz Love, 32, were two participants in Saturday’s Black Femme March, which took place along a section of Interstate 5 that had been blocked off by law enforcement to protect protesters. The peaceful demonstration turned abruptly violent around 1:40 a.m., when a white Jaguar circumvented the blockade and plowed through the crowd.
While the majority of protesters were able to get out of the way, Taylor and Love were not. A graphic video captured of the incident shows protesters yelling “Car!” just seconds before they were struck, their bodies thrown into the air.
Taylor was immediately rushed to Harborview Medical Center but died later the same day of injuries sustained during the incident. A GoFundMe page, which was originally set up to cover their medical expenses but will now be directed toward funeral costs, says they were an “incredibly strong and independent spirit.”
“They are a bright and caring person who’s presence elicits joy and laughter in others,” writes Becky Gilliam, who organized the fundraiser. “Summer works at a veterinary clinic and takes pride in their community and supporting others.”
Diaz survived but reportedly remains in intensive care at Harborview. A separate support fund set up by Portland Murderino’s Group — a local discussion and meetup group for fans of the podcast “My Favorite Murder” — describes Diaz as an “huge animal lover and fights for the rights of people everywhere.”
The assailant was taken into custody shortly after the altercation and identified as 27-year-old Dawit Kelete. The Seattle resident was taken to King County Jail on Saturday where he will face a minimum charge of felony vehicular assault. Washington State Patrol Capt. Ron Mead said Kelete could potentially face additional charges of felony hit and run, which carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.
According to Mead, it is unclear at this time whether the incident was a “targeted attack” against the protesters. “Very candidly, we don’t know at this point in the investigation what the motive was, what the reasoning was,” he told members of the press, noting that Kelete was not intoxicated at the time.
Kelete has previously faced charges of “assault, trespassing and malicious mischief,” as the local news station KIRO reported. None of those cases resulted in a conviction or time spent behind bars.
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