One of the two people who were seriously injured Saturday after a car led to a protest in a closed section of Interstate 5 in Seattle died, authorities said.
Summer Taylor, 24, of Seattle, died Saturday night at Harborview Medical Center, a UW Medicine spokeswoman said. The other injured protester, Diaz Love, 32, of Portland, Oregon, was hospitalized in serious condition, the spokeswoman said.
Both had broadcast the protest live before they were injured, The Seattle Times reported.
During the early hours of Saturday morning, a small group of protesters gathered in a section of Interstate 5 that had been blocked by authorities, Private Chase Van Cleave of the Washington State Patrol said. It was one of many protests that were organized in Seattle and across the country since the murder of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis in May.
The protesters had been on the road for just over an hour when a white car drove south through a blockade and toward the protesters at “high speed”, hitting both victims, Private Van Cleave said. The driver continued south for more than a mile before stopping, he said.
Private Van Cleave identified the driver as Dawit Kelete, 27. Mr. Kelete, who was reported to be from Seattle by The Seattle Times, was booked into the King County Jail on Saturday morning on the charge of vehicular assault, according to prison records.
Kelete had a sobriety test and the results showed he was not under the influence, according to a police report. While in custody, authorities described him as “reserved” and “sullen,” and said they asked him about the conditions of the injured protesters.
“Earlier this morning, two women were hit by a car and seriously injured while protesting peacefully,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter on Saturday afternoon. “Many others were almost beaten and witnessed this horrible event. Our city stands alongside its friends, families, and loved ones in prayer for these women and all who were there. ”
A GoFundMe campaign that started on Saturday to help cover Summer Taylor’s medical expenses said: “Summer is an incredibly strong and independent spirit. They are a bright and caring person whose presence brings joy and laughter to others. “
The page said that Summer Taylor worked at Urban Animal, a veterinary clinic, and used non-binary pronouns.
“Everyone there really loved them,” said Keenan Camacho, a friend and former coworker.
Keenan Camacho, who uses non-binary pronouns, said that when they came out as a transgender, Summer Taylor was one of their “biggest supporters.”
“They were always the first to call people for being sexist, racist, defending queer and trans people, basically anyone who needed to be defended, they were the ones who talked so much,” Keenan Camacho said of Summer Taylor.
A similar page was set for Díaz Love, who also uses non-binary pronouns, according to the organizers of that GoFundMe campaign. “Díaz is a great animal lover and fights for the rights of people everywhere,” says the page.
The State Patrol announced on Twitter Saturday night that protesters on Interstate 5 would no longer be allowed “for the safety of all citizens, including protesters and motorists.”
