Quanice Hayes: Say His Name

Twenty days ago, Portland police were looking for a petty thief who had stolen a homeless man’s food stamp card. During their search, they found Quanice Hayes, a seventeen-year-old boy, and within minutes he was dead. Later police claimed a toy gun was found near his dead body. There is no evidence that he was carrying the gun or that he robbed anyone. As his cousin said at a press conference, “Any young black male found on the street that night could have been killed by the police.” The family has still not been allowed to see his body, ostensibly because there is an “investigation.” Also because of this investigation, his family has been given no explanation for his death, and as far as they know there is no proof of any wrong-doing on his part. His mother addressed the city council and the mayor today, asking for the body of her son and for answers to her questions. She was accompanied by her mother and aunt and several cousins. Her other children were in school. 

I talked with Quanice’s grandmother, Donna Hayes, at center on the front row in this photograph, flanked by Quanice’s mother on the left and his great-aunt on the right. Donna asked me if I have grandchildren. I said yes. “Then you know how it is,” she said. “Quanice used to come visit me and he’d say, ‘Granny, I know you won’t always be here, and I want to spend time with you while I can.’ I’m glad he did. I never thought it would be him that would go. You’re not supposed to bury your grandchild.”

Extras are Quanice’s great-aunt, moved to tears during his mother’s plea for justice, and Teressa Raiford (who organized the community support for the family today) with the grandmother. Additional photos, taken by Stephanie Lao, appear in this article in the local newspaper. I advise you, if you look at the story, to examine how carefully the reporter tiptoes around the official narrative. He doesn’t even mention the boy’s body still being detained for the “investigation.” And for the sake of your own peace of mind, don’t read the comments. Most are written by right-wing trolls who seem to spend their lives writing anonymous racist accusations, vile beyond my imagination.