Friends and family are mourning the death of Clayton Joseph, the 16-year-old boy who was shot by a Vancouver police officer Tuesday night during a disturbance response.
The Vancouver Police Department on Thursday identified the officer who fired his weapon as Cpl. Roger Evans.
Police said that Joseph brandished a knife when approached by officers and refused commands to drop the weapon before he was shot. Joseph died of a gunshot wound to his chest, according to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Conner Bloxham, a friend who spoke on behalf of Joseph’s family, said they told him that Joseph was trying to defuse a situation when he was shot. Specifically, he was trying to stop someone from attacking their girlfriend.
Joseph’s cousin Brandy Henry said in an email to The Columbian on Thursday that news of his relative’s death came as a shock. Joseph wanted to succeed in life, Henry said.
According to the cousin, Joseph had told him he did not understand English all that well but was trying his best to succeed in school.
Joseph was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bloxham said he met Joseph and his family in the Chuuk state of the Federated States of Micronesia, where Bloxham was doing missionary work with the church.
Joseph’s plan after high school was to go on a mission trip, Henry said in his email.
“We always talked (to) each other pretty much every day, and we always tell each other that we are going to be a great example to our family, friends and siblings,” Henry said. He called Joseph his favorite cousin — someone who always listened and was honest, expressing that he was afraid of doing bad things.
Joseph’s mother has lived in the United States for about three years; Joseph moved to Vancouver last year for a better education, Bloxham said. He had enrolled in December at Evergreen High School, according to district spokeswoman Gail Spolar.
A GoFundMe account was set up Thursday morning for the Joseph family. The funds will help ease the monetary burden to the family, which is large and includes at least three brothers who weren’t living with Joseph, according to the account, and a sister.
“Those who had the blessing of knowing Clayton understand that words alone cannot describe his bright, full and loving nature. His kindness and strength left an impression on all who met him, and the cherished memories of our time with him will continue to put smiles on our faces. He is an example to his family, his community and to the many others who he called brother and sister,” the GoFundMe account states.
A community candlelight vigil for Joseph was planned for 6 p.m. Saturday at Esther Short Park, according to a Facebook event page. The event had been canceled by Friday morning.
