A Seattle jury just delivered a crushing $30 million verdict against the city for its negligent handling of the deadly CHOP protest zone, holding officials accountable for the 2020 death of 16-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. in a case that exposes the catastrophic consequences of leftist “defund the police” madness.
Jury Delivers Justice After Years of City Denial
On January 30, 2026, a King County jury concluded 12 days of deliberation by awarding Antonio Mays Sr. over $26.5 million and his son’s estate $4 million, totaling approximately $30.5 million. The verdict followed a monthlong trial examining the city’s response when 16-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. was fatally shot on June 29, 2020, inside the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone. The jury specifically found Seattle negligent in its emergency response to the shooting, rejecting the city’s arguments that third-party shooters or other factors superseded municipal responsibility for the teen’s death.
CHOP Zone Chaos Created Deadly Conditions
The CHOP zone emerged in June 2020 after Seattle police abandoned the East Precinct during George Floyd protests, creating an eight-block autonomous area in Capitol Hill. Mayor Jenny Durkan and city officials initially embraced the occupation, with Durkan infamously calling it a “summer of love” despite escalating violence. By the time Mays was shot—the fourth shooting in June alone—police were effectively prohibited from entering the zone, forcing civilian CHOP medics to handle emergency situations. Medical experts testified that Mays, described as a kind-hearted homeschooled teen helping his father’s barbecue business, might have survived if proper airway management had been administered promptly, something his youth and neuroplasticity could have facilitated.
City Officials Abandoned Their Duty to Protect Citizens
The trial exposed how Seattle’s embrace of radical protest ideology directly endangered lives. Antonio Mays Sr., a single father who raised his son to be a “proud Black man,” testified that officials’ pro-CHOP statements essentially lured his son into a dangerous area where law enforcement had abdicated responsibility. Evidence showed CHOP’s chaotic conditions, including bystanders accessing the crime scene before any investigation. Lead attorney Evan M. Oshan criticized the city for failing to assume responsibility or offer any apology to the devastated father. Judge Sean O’Donnell narrowed the lawsuit’s scope to focus specifically on emergency response negligence, and the jury ultimately sided with the plaintiffs after hearing conflicting testimony from medical experts about whether Mays could have survived with proper professional care.
Verdict Sets Precedent Against Lawless Protest Zones
This staggering $30 million judgment sends a clear message about municipal liability when officials prioritize political correctness over public safety. The verdict arrives as America moves beyond the destructive “defund the police” movement that dominated 2020 under previous leadership. Short-term, Seattle faces massive budgetary strain and potential appeals, but long-term implications extend far beyond one city’s budget. This case establishes precedent for holding governments accountable when they create or tolerate lawless zones where emergency services cannot function. The Mays family’s victory follows the 2023 conviction of Marcel Long for killing 19-year-old Horace Lorenzo Anderson in CHOP just a week before Mays died, further documenting the zone’s deadly legacy.
Grieving Father Gets Justice Despite City’s Callousness
Throughout the legal battle, Seattle’s City Attorney’s Office maintained a defensive posture, calling the tragedy unfortunate while exploring appeal options rather than accepting responsibility. Mays Sr., who told the court “I love my kids more than myself,” had to halt his barbecue business amid his grief and legal fight. The city’s refusal to settle or apologize stands in stark contrast to the jury’s clear finding of negligence. This verdict validates what many Americans recognized in 2020: allowing anarchist zones to flourish in the name of social justice creates real victims and undermines the constitutional duty of government to maintain order and protect citizens. The Mays family’s long-awaited justice exposes the human cost of failed leftist experiments in urban governance.
Sources:
Seattle CHOP verdict: City must pay $29 million to family of slain teen – KUOW
Jury awards nearly $31 million to family of teen killed during 2020 Seattle CHOP protest – Chronline