A Waymo vehicle is accused of hitting and killing a beloved neighborhood bodega cat in San Francisco, according to multiple reports.
A memorial for KitKat now sits outside of Randa's Market on 16th and Valencia in the city's Mission District, where the friendly tabby cat once patrolled the sidewalk. The corner store cat was named KitKat because neighbors said he enjoyed sleeping in a KitKat delivery box.
KitKat had been a famous figure at the corner store since at least 2020, when Randa's Market first started its Instagram account. He had even been reposted on the popular "@bodegacatsofinstagram" account.
About a week ago, Randa's Market announced KitKat's tragic passing on Instagram.
"We’re heartbroken to share that our beloved store cat, KitKat, has passed away. He brought warmth, smiles, and comfort to everyone who walked through our doors," the store said. "Thank you to all who loved him as much as we did. The store won’t be the same without his little paws padding around. 🐾❤️"
Hundreds of comments later, it was revealed that KitKit was hit by a Waymo autonomous vehicle while sitting outside the store.
Local San Francisco news outlets said the neighbors took him to an emergency vet, but sadly, he did not survive.
A vigil was held in honor of KitKat last week, as flowers, cat toys and other memorial items filled the sidewalk outside of Randa's Market.
Waymo provided a statement to TV news station KRON4 that said, in part, "We reviewed this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away. We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we will be making a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor."
Citizens have urged officials to implement more safety measures for autonomous vehicles.
This comes as Waymo announced it is expanding into new cities across the U.S., including San Diego, Las Vegas, and Detroit. In addition to San Francisco, the driverless taxis' pilot city, Waymo currently operates in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta.
Waymo said it has its sights set on expansion in Boston, Seattle, Denver, Miami, New York City, and Washington, DC as well.
