Harvard Attorney and Daughter of St. Kitts-born Doctor Among Victims in D.C. Air Collision

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Kiah Duggins, a prominent civil rights attorney and the daughter of a St. Kitts-born physician, was tragically killed in a devastating air collision near Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025.

The collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter resulted in both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River, leaving no survivors among the 64 passengers and crew.

Duggins, a 29-year-old Harvard Law graduate and former Fulbright scholar, was a rising star in the field of civil rights. She dedicated her career to fighting against unconstitutional policing practices, money bail systems, and advocating for prison abolition. Her work impacted communities across the United States, including Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, D.C.

Born in Wichita, Kansas, Duggins was the daughter of Dr. Maurice Duggins, a respected family physician originally from St. Kitts.

The news of her untimely death has sent shockwaves through the legal community and beyond. Duggins will be deeply missed by her family, colleagues, and the countless individuals whose lives she touched through her tireless pursuit of justice.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the tragic collision.