Grand jury finds Portland officer’s deadly force justified

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A grand jury has found that a Portland officer was justified in using deadly force when he shot and killed a 17-year-old boy in February.

Portland Police Sgt. Pete Simpson said in a news release the grand jury made the determination Tuesday that Officer Andrew Hearst was justified regarding the death of Quanice Hayes.

Police say Hayes allegedly used a replica gun Feb. 9 to rob a man of his state food benefits card while the man sat in a car outside a motel.

Shortly after, police responded to a reported car prowl at a pet hospital. Simpson says police encountered Hayes, who fled.

Simpson says police eventually found him in a home’s alcove, where Hearst shot and killed Hayes after Hayes reached for his waistband instead of putting his hands up.

No one else was injured.

Police will next conduct an internal review of the incident.