Seattle, WA
Seattle ordered to pay over $30 million for fatal shooting of teen in 2020 protest
SEATTLE (AP) — A jury on Thursday ordered the city of Seattle to pay more than $30 million over the unsolved, fatal shooting of a teenager at the “ Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ” zone, which arose in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.
The King County jury returned the verdict following 12 days of deliberation, finding that the city was negligent in its emergency response to the shooting of Antonio Mays Jr., 16, and that that negligence caused his death, The Seattle Times reported.
Because first responders wouldn’t come to the protest zone, witnesses tried to bring Mays by private vehicle to get medical care from paramedics. They tried to flag down an ambulance that drove away from them, and it was about 24 minutes before they met with medics in a parking lot.
Attorneys for the family argued that Mays might have survived if his airway was properly cleared sooner. The city argued that Mays, who was shot in the head, was unlikely to have lived and that the emergency response was not to blame for his death.
Seattle was ordered to pay $4 million to Mays’ estate and $26 million to his father, Antonio Mays Sr., who became emotional and hugged his lawyer as the verdict was announced.
Racial justice demonstrators enraged about Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police took over eight square blocks in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood in June 2020, creating a protest zone called “CHOP.” It lasted three weeks after the city police department abandoned its nearby precinct, earning derision from President Donald Trump, who claimed a large section of the city had been taken over by anarchists.
Following two shootings at or near the protest, including Mays’ death on June 29, then-Mayor Jenny Durkan and the police department dismantled the zone.
Mays was shot in a stolen white Jeep near the protest zone with a 14-year-old also in the vehicle. A livestream from the scene captured the shots and the aftermath — but did not show the shooter. Witnesses said on the livestream that armed protesters guarding the protest zone’s barricades had fired at the Jeep. No arrests have been made nor charges filed.
Mays traveled to Seattle from southern California, where he left a note for his father saying he was joining the civil rights movement. He did not tell his father where he was going, only that he wanted to make him “proud.” Mays Sr. filed a missing persons report with the Los Angeles Police Department the same day he found the note.
Less than 10 days later, Mays was dead. The 14-year-old, who was also shot, survived after witnesses brought him to a hospital.
King County Superior Court Judge Sean O’Donnell barred the city from presenting a defense that it was not liable because Mays was committing a felony — stealing the Jeep — at the time he was killed. Even if the city proved Mays had stolen the Jeep, O’Donnell ruled, there’s no proof that he was killed because of it.
In a statement Thursday the city attorney’s office called the death a tragedy and said it was considering its legal options.
A massive wave of cyclists ranging from kids as young as 9 to grandparents in their 80’s just launched a 207-mile journey from Seattle to Portland. They are keeping completely off the highway, sticking to backroads and local bike trails. Meanwhile, local commuters are feeling the squeeze as northbound Interstate 5 gridlock forces heavy weekend traffic onto those exact same surface streets.
(QUICK LINKS: Music lineups … vendor list … food and drink … Kids Zone info)
6:04 PM: At West Seattle Summer Fest, the crowd has grown steadily, especially now that the workday is over. Main-stage music continues – here’s the second band of the day, Chico Detour:
That’s their song “Crying at My Party.” As main-stage music continues, The Big Dark Corner is just getting going at California/Alaska by KeyBank, a new space this year – programmed by West Seattle’s The Big Dark Records. And you have a wide variety of choices for dinner and drinks – The Porch in the lot behind KeyBank, stands on that side of SW Alaska, some vendors on newly pedestrian-only SW Oregon, the beverage garden by the main stage ..
… and of course all the year-round local venues, many with outdoor cafés. Coordinators say it’s gone smoothly so far. Updates to come!
6:25 PM: That’s Leonard Jarvey and The Sock Monkeys, opening the night at The Big Dark Corner. Still to come there tonight – Sad Dad Autumn at 7, Across 35th at 7:30. Meantime, over in the Kids Zone, the foam party’s back this year:
7:39 PM: A bit of Zookraught and their dance-punk sound on the main stage:
And Across 35th has a throng at The Big Dark Corner – video:
8:20 PM: Vendors are wrapping up for the day, since the festival’s official end time – not counting music – was 8 pm. Here at the Info Booth, most everything’s rolled up too, except our table, and we’re packing up shortly (after one more band – added, here’s that video of Blackie:)
The night wraps up with Alien Crime Syndicate at 10 pm.
ADDED 11:45 PM: Thanks to WSB contributor Jason Grotelueschen for clips from the night’s last two main-stage bands – Caitlin & Brent with the Passenger String Quartet:
And Alien Crime Syndicate:
P.S. Thanks to the many kind people who stopped by our table to say hi – we’ll be back tomorrow, starting at 10 am.
Seattle, WA
Seattle Kraken Sign Goaltender Victor Östman and Defenseman Ville Ottavainen to One-Year Deals | Seattle Kraken
SEATTLE (July 10, 2026) — Today, Seattle Kraken General Manager Jason Botterill announced that the club has signed goaltender Victor Östman and defenseman Ville Ottavainen both to one-year, two-way deals ($850,000 AAV) for the 2026-27 season.
Östman, 25, played his first full professional season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL), appearing in 36 games and posting a 17-15-3 record, 2.81 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and two shutouts. The 6-foot-4 goalie tallied two assists, leading all rookie netminders and tying for fifth among all AHL goaltenders. He posted a season-high 42 saves in a single game. The Danderyd, Sweden, native made his first NHL career start with the Seattle Kraken on April 16, 2026, stopping 35 shots.
Ottavainen, 23, appeared in 53 games with Coachella Valley in his third season with the Firebirds, recording 17 points (3g/14a). The 6-foot-5 blueliner finished the season with 71 penalty minutes, ranking fourth on the roster, while placing second in assists and fourth in points among Coachella Valley defensemen. During the Calder Cup Playoffs, Ottavainen scored one goal and added three assists. In 193 career regular-season AHL games, the Oulu, Finland, native has totaled 66 points (14g/52a), adding nine points (1g/8a) in 36 career playoff games.
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