Police are investigating a hit and run accident they consider a “bias incident” after a man allegedly followed the president of the South Seattle College Turning Point USA (TPUSA) organization with his vehicle as she walked to her car on Thursday. The incident — which occurred following an argument between the two individuals over TPUSA signage on campus — resulted in the conservative student calling 911 after the man struck another vehicle while circling her with his SUV. The suspect is still at large.
South Seattle College Turning Point USA chapter president Katie Daviscourt was hiding in-between parked cars, and dialed 911 in a parking lot on campus on Thursday, after she had realized that a man who had argued with her about TPUSA signage earlier that day had been following her with his vehicle and driving recklessly through the parking lot.
Police are currently searching for the suspect, who, while circling Daviscourt with his SUV, struck another vehicle, prompting him to flee the scene. The incident occurred following an argument over the conservative student’s TPUSA signage, which the suspect had tried to confiscate and damage hours earlier.
“I was at our [TPUSA] recruiting booth when this man started vandalizing and then stealing our organization’s personal property,” said Daviscourt to Breitbart News, “I asked him to give us back our signs, he gave it back, and I thought that was the end of it, but he kept coming back [to the TPUSA booth] to yell at us some more.”
The student added that the confrontation continued in the parking lot while she was walking to her car.
“When we left for the day, I didn’t know it, but he was waiting for me in his car,” said Daviscourt, “I could feel a car coming and I didn’t know it was him at first. It wasn’t until he passed me, and I realized it was the same guy from earlier. So I tried to get back to my car as fast as I could. Then, he tried again for a second time, I jumped out of the way and hid between cars.”
Daviscourt told Breitbart News that in that moment, she feared for her life, as she believed the man would try to strike her with his vehicle if she were to step out from in-between the cars.
“When I was hiding between the cars, at this point, I thought he was trying to kill me,” said Daviscourt, “So I tried to get a picture of his license plate, and then I called 911.”
“His dangerous and erratic driving behavior caused him to crash into a vehicle that a young woman was driving,” added Daviscourt, “He fled the scene swerving into oncoming traffic nearly hitting multiple vehicles and pedestrians.”
Video surveillance cameras captured some of Thursday’s parking lot incident. The video footage obtained and reviewed by Breitbart News shows a black SUV appearing to head toward a pedestrian but then diverting away from the pedestrian as the driver takes a sharp turn through empty parking spots.
The SUV then circles around the aisle and parks in close proximity to Daviscourt’s vehicle, while the conservative student seeks shelter by standing in-between parked cars.
Some time passes while Daviscourt remains standing in-between the parked cars, and the black SUV remains parked where it is. Daviscourt said that she had remained where she was, as continuing to walk toward her car would also mean walking toward the man’s car, who she said was staring her down the entire time.
Moments later, the video shows the SUV pulling out of the parking spot and heading down the aisle to pass Daviscourt once again, before appearing to fail to yield and hitting another vehicle. The driver then cuts off other vehicles and flees the scene.
“He was staring at me the entire time he was driving and didn’t look at the road, which is why he was swerving everywhere,” said Daviscourt to Breitbart News.
“Nobody is in custody yet,” Detective Patrick Michaud told Breitbart News, who did not specify which charges will be brought against the suspect if he is arrested, but stated that police are pursuing the suspect, as they consider the matter to be a “hit and run,” as well as a “bias incident,” due to the suspect having “damaged and removed political posters” belonging to Daviscourt.
“I started a Turning Point USA chapter at South Seattle College to try to bring together like minded conservatives such as myself in a part of the country where we are shunned and ostracized,” said the conservative student, “I will not let this situation stop me from advocating for my beliefs.”
Daviscourt also mentioned that the school’s campus police have made arrangements to escort her to and from class.
“Campus security responded to the incident immediately upon receiving a call to ensure the safety of our impacted student and offer support,” said a South Seattle College spokesperson to Breitbart News, “We are assisting the Seattle Police Department in their investigation and remain focused on providing full support to our student.”
This is a developing story. Please follow Breitbart News for updates.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo and on Instagram.