A lawsuit filed by the family of 16-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. has proceeded to trial, focusing on the circumstances of the teenager's death in 2020. Mays Jr. was shot and killed inside Seattle's Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone. For several years, proponents of the protest zone characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense, a claim that is now being scrutinized during legal proceedings.
Reporters Sydney Brownstone, Will James, and David Gutman have investigated the incident, citing new evidence and clues intended to identify the shooter. At the time of the incident, the 16-year-old was driving a white Jeep that crashed within the zone. Following the crash, he was shot at close range by unidentified individuals.
The trial seeks to establish accountability for the killing and provide answers to the victim's father. While the shooting occurred during a period of civil unrest and simplified law enforcement presence in the area, the current litigation focuses on the specific actions of participants and the lack of previous criminal charges in the case.