A grand jury would not likely hear evidence in last week’s fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes for at least four to six weeks because the investigation could take that long.
“Perhaps even longer if needed,” Don Rees, Multnomah County chief deputy district attorney, said Wednesday by email in response to a question from The Oregonian/OregonLive.
A grand jury would likely be asked to determine whether East Precinct Officer Andrew Hearst was justified in shooting Hayes at about 9:20 a.m. Thursday in a residential area near Northeast Hancock Street and 82nd Avenue.
Questions surround the shooting, and there have been scattered calls for more information to be released. On Thursday, the Portland Student Action Network will hold “a demonstration demanding justice for Quanice Hayes.” The rally will begin at 5:30 p.m. outside Smith Memorial Union on the Portland State University campus followed by a march.
Portland police do not anticipate releasing more information on the shooting until after the case is presented to a grand jury, spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said by email Wednesday.
“The case remains an active investigation into the actions of the suspect leading to the shooting and the involved officers’ actions,” Simpson said.
A spokesperson for Mayor Ted Wheeler, in response to questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday, reissued statements the mayor has made about the shooting.
Wheeler, in his statement, said he wants an investigation that is “speedy and transparent” and that information would be shared with the public “as it is appropriate to do do.”
“Some of this will take time,” the mayor wrote. “That can be incredibly frustrating. I know it is frustrating to me. There is sometimes a tendency in situations like this to allow rumor and speculation to take hold. I urge us all to resist this.”
One of those rumors was that Hayes had been shot a dozen times in the back. Simpson and other sources, however, released autopsy information showing that Hayes had been hit with bullets three times and none was in the back.
Police have not said what prompted Hearst to shoot.
Quanice Derrick Hayes, 17, who was shot and killed by Portland police Thursday morning. The mugshot was taken after Hayes’ arrest for a car prowl, Portland police said. Police said they found this replica gun near him after the shooting. (Portland Police Bureau)
Police have said Hayes was a suspect in an armed robbery of a man outside Portland Value Inn, a hotel at 1707 N.E. 82nd Ave., about two blocks from the shooting scene. Police said they believed Hayes had robbed a man who was sitting in his car outside the hotel about 7:20 a.m., taking the man’s Oregon food benefits card.
Shortly after, police responded to a report of a car prowl at the nearby Banfield Pet Hospital, Simpson said. They encountered Hayes, who fled.
Officers searched the neighborhood and again encountered Hayes, this time outside a home on Hancock, where Hearst shot and killed him. A replica gun was found near Hayes, police said.
The day of the shooting, Police Chief Mike Marshman called Pastor J.W. Matt Hennessee of Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church of Portland.
It was part of the chief’s effort to reach out to ministers of predominantly African American churches following the fatal shooting, Hennessee said Wednesday.
“I told him I was very saddened to hear that a young African American male had been killed,” Hennessee said. “I was sorry for (Hayes) and his family and any one associated with him — and also for the police officer who shot and killed him.”
Hennessee said not enough information is known at this time about the circumstances of the shooting.
“Let’s be careful to be calm at this point until we know more information,” he said, adding that he had spoken to a member of Hayes’ family.
“I told them I was grateful that they positioned their pubic conversation the way they did,” he said.
Hayes’ mother was among dozens who participated in a candlelight vigil Sunday night in the pet hospital parking lot, near where Hayes was shot. Venus Hayes asked the public to “refrain from speculation” about the circumstances surrounding her son’s death, and asked anyone with information to contact the American Civil Liberties Union and the Portland Police Bureau.
— Reporters Maxine Bernstein, Jim Ryan and Samantha Matsumoto contributed
–Allan Brettman
abrettman@oregonian.com
503-294-5900
@allanbrettman
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