Introducing "We Keep Us Safe" from NPR, KUOW and The Seattle Times

Introducing "We Keep Us Safe" from NPR, KUOW and The Seattle Times

From Embedded by NPR

June 4, 2026 · 3 min · Season 27

About this episode

The episode investigates the unsolved case of Antonio Mays Jr., who was shot during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest in Seattle.

In the summer of 2020, sixteen-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to join the racial justice movement of his generation. He arrived in Seattle during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, known as CHOP. Less than a week later, he was shot and killed there. The case remains unsolved. In this eight-part series, hosts Sydney Brownstone of The Seattle Times and Will James of KUOW team up with NPR’s Embedded to investigate Antonio’s death. Alongside reporter David Gutman, they track down key figures and eyewitnesses from the night of the shooting and surface crucial evidence that has never been made public. Who bears responsibility for the shooting? And how did an idealistic protest for protecting Black lives turn into a circle of silence surrounding the killing of a Black teenager? The series premieres on Thursday, June 11. Support journalism like this by signing up for NPR+ at plus.npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Hosts: Sydney Brownstone, Will James

Topics covered

  • racial justice
  • protest
  • investigation
  • unsolved case
  • community impact
  • responsibility

Keywords

  • Antonio Mays Jr.
  • Capitol Hill Occupied Protest
  • CHOP
  • racial justice movement
  • investigation
  • Seattle
  • unsolved case

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NPR, KUOW, The Seattle Times

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