Several family members of Quanice Hayes, the 17-year-old boy shot to death three weeks ago by police responding to an armed robbery, were expected to make a statement Wednesday morning critical of the investigation into Hayes’ death.
The family’s appearance, set for about 9 a.m. at the Portland Building, would coincide with a gathering at the same time by the group #ResignTed. That group believes Mayor Ted Wheeler should resign over police use of force during local protests and his handling of the city’s homeless crisis.
A #ResignTed news release also criticized Wheeler for failing to meet with Hayes’ family, contending that he said he would do so.
However, Wheeler spokesman Michael Cox told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Tuesday that the mayor hadn’t previously said he would meet with Hayes’ family.
“What he said is if they wanted to talk to him, he certainly would,” Cox said. “He didn’t want to force a conversation on them that they might not want to have.”
A police officer shot Hayes three three times on the morning of Feb. 9. Police have said they believed Hayes robbed a man who was sitting in his car outside the Portland Value Inn at 1707 N.E. 82nd Ave., about 7:20 a.m. A motel employee said the suspect took the man’s Oregon food benefits card.
Shortly after, police responded to a report of a car prowl at the nearby Banfield Pet Hospital, Sgt. Pete Simpson said. They encountered Hayes, who fled, Simpson said.
Officers searched the neighborhood and later encountered Hayes outside a home on Northeast Hancock Street, where Officer Andrew Hearst shot and killed him, Simpson said. Police said they found a replica gun near Hayes.
Police haven’t said what prompted the officer to fire.
–Reporter Jessica Floum contributed.
–Allan Brettman
abrettman@oregonian.com
503-294-5900
@allanbrettman
Tweets by allanbrettman
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
