One man is dead and another wounded after Seattle CHOP zone shooting

One man is dead and another wounded following a gun battle in Seattle’s CHOP zone after the two men ‘plowed their jeep into the area and started shooting but armed protesters fired back’

  • Police said the deadly shooting unfolded just before dawn on Monday in Seattle’s CHOP, or Capitol Hill Organized Protest, zone 
  • Witnesses say the men plowed their white Jeep into the zone and opened fire on the protesters
  • Those acting as CHOP security returned fire and struck both the driver and passengers, according to witnesses
  • One of the wounded men was taken to hospital in a private vehicle and the second man was brought in by Seattle Fire Department medics
  • The man brought in by medics died several hours later and the other remains in a critical condition 

One man has been killed and another wounded following a gun battle inside Seattle’s CHOP zone after witnesses say the two men drove into the area and started shooting but protesters returned fire. 

Police said the deadly shooting unfolded just before dawn on Monday in the city’s CHOP, or Capitol Hill Organized Protest, zone. 

One of the wounded men was brought to the Harborview Medical Center at about 3.15am in a private vehicle before the second man was brought in about 15 minutes later by Seattle Fire Department medics.

The man brought in by medics died several hours later and the other remains in a critical condition. 

One of the victims had gunshot wounds to his hip, arm and temple. 

Police said the deadly shooting unfolded just before dawn on Monday in Seattle’s CHOP, or Capitol Hill Organized Protest, zone. Witnesses say the men plowed their white Jeep into the zone and opened fire on the protesters

Those acting as CHOP security returned fire and struck both the driver and passengers, according to witnesses. The blood-soaked and bullet-ridden jeep remained at the scene Monday morning

Those acting as CHOP security returned fire and struck both the driver and passengers, according to witnesses. The blood-soaked and bullet-ridden jeep remained at the scene Monday morning

Seattle police have not released any further details of the shooting. 

Witnesses say the gun battle unfolded after the two men plowed their white Jeep Cherokee into the CHOP zone before opening fire on protesters.

‘The protesters responded quickly with CHOP security returning fire hitting both the driver and passenger in the front seat,’ a CHOP member, only known as Stitch, told DailyMail.com.

‘I’m not certain if anyone else was hit by gunfire, there were bullets flying all over the place.’ 

According to another eye witness who refused to give his name, police responded and did a cursory investigation before quickly leaving the scene. 

The blood-soaked and bullet-ridden jeep remained at the scene Monday morning.   

It is the fourth shooting in, or near, the CHOP zone in nine days. 

Members of CHOP security openly carry around pistols and other weapons. One member has been seen brandishing an AK-47. 

Demonstrators have occupied several blocks around the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct and a park for about two weeks after police abandoned the precinct following standoffs and clashes with protesters calling for racial justice and an end to police brutality. 

Witnesses say the gun battle unfolded after the two men plowed their white Jeep Cherokee into the CHOP zone before opening fire on protesters

Witnesses say the gun battle unfolded after the two men plowed their white Jeep Cherokee into the CHOP zone before opening fire on protesters

One of the wounded men was brought to the Harborview Medical Center at about 3.15am in a private vehicle before the second man was brought in about 15 minutes later by Seattle Fire Department medics

One of the wounded men was brought to the Harborview Medical Center at about 3.15am in a private vehicle before the second man was brought in about 15 minutes later by Seattle Fire Department medics

The blood-soaked and bullet-ridden jeep remained at the scene Monday morning. It is the fourth shooting in, or near, the CHOP zone in nine days

The blood-soaked and bullet-ridden jeep remained at the scene Monday morning. It is the fourth shooting in, or near, the CHOP zone in nine days

In the previous fatal shooting in the zone, a 19-year-old man was killed on June 20 and a 33-year-old man was wounded. 

The city of Seattle and Mayor Jenny Durkan made efforts to dismantle the CHOP last week but had to turn back when a protester laid down in the street to block Seattle Department of Transportation crews and heavy machinery from removing barricades around the occupied zone.

Since then, negotiations between city leadership and organizers have broken down and hundreds of protesters have said they will not leave the area until their demands have been met.

The encampment has become more difficult to manage, drawing violence and a large homeless population since the onset of the occupation three weeks ago.

Nearby businesses and property owners filed a federal lawsuit against the city last Wednesday for its tolerance of the zone, saying officials had been complicit in depriving them of their rights to their property.

The businesses said they did not intend to undermine the anti-police-brutality or Black Lives Matter messaging of the protest but said they had limited access to their businesses.

They said they’ve sometimes been threatened for photographing protesters in public areas or for cleaning graffiti off their storefronts.

Members of CHOP security openly carry around pistols and other weapons. One member has been seen brandishing an AK-47. Pictured is the bullet-ridden Jeep on Monday morning

 Members of CHOP security openly carry around pistols and other weapons. One member has been seen brandishing an AK-47. Pictured is the bullet-ridden Jeep on Monday morning

Seattle police have not released any further details of the shooting. Witnesses say the gun battle unfolded after the two men plowed their white Jeep Cherokee into the CHOP zone before opening fire on protesters

Seattle police have not released any further details of the shooting. Witnesses say the gun battle unfolded after the two men plowed their white Jeep Cherokee into the CHOP zone before opening fire on protesters

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk