The mother of a 19-year-old man who was shot and killed in Seattle’s former CHOP zone has filed a wrongful death claim against the city. She claims that the city allowed such lawlessness and recklessness to happen in the autonomous zone that it willfully created the dangerous zone in which her son died.
Seattle police officers claim that they could not get to the shooting victim due to violent resistance. Fire department medics wanted to attend to the victim, but city authorities would not allow them to do so. It was civilian medics inside the CHOP zone who eventually used their personal vehicle to take the teenager to Harborview Medical Center where he ultimately died from his injuries.
Seattle police had abandoned the East Precinct that was located within the CHOP zone, and it appears the city government failed to ensure a safe environment for its citizens. Just days prior to this shooting, which was one of six that took place within the autonomous zone, the city claimed that what was happening was more akin to a block party that a protest. However, when this victim needed help, they claimed it was too dangerous to enter.
Hope for a better future
This mother is seeking justice for her son whom Seattle city officials blatantly failed. He was not the only teenager murdered within CHOP. It is her hope that the city will take responsibility for its negligence. A government liability matter requires that a claim be filed 60 days before the filing of an actual lawsuit. This is the first step of a grieving mother who hopes to shed some light on a city that failed, and to ensure it will not happen to anyone else. Lawsuits of this nature, especially when filed against a governmental entity, should be handled by attorneys who are highly experienced in high profile crime victim litigation.
