Portland – A Portland police officer who fatally shot a 17-year-old boy last month testified that he warned the teen several times to keep his hands away from his waist.
According to transcripts released Monday, Officer Andrew Hearst told a Multnomah County grand jury he believe Quanice Hayes’ hand movements were intentional and deliberate.
The Oregonian/Oregon Live reported that Hearst testified he didn’t see Hayes with a gun in his hand when he fired his rifle but said he couldn’t wait until he was sure it was there.
The teen’s mother demanded a Department of Justice investigation last week after the jury declined to indict Hearst on criminal charges in the Feb. 9 shooting.
Portland police have said Hayes used a replica gun to rob a man of his state food benefits card and was trying to break into a car.
