More than 50 people gathered at Esther Short Park on Saturday evening for a candlelight vigil to honor Clayton Joseph, the 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a Vancouver police officer on Tuesday.
Joseph was shot when the officer responded to a report of a disturbance outside of an apartment complex on Southeast Ellsworth Road. Vancouver police say the teen brandished a knife before he was shot.
Members of Joseph’s family were not present at the vigil. Multiple attendees described it as an impromptu gathering that arose from discussions among Vancouver residents, and word of the event spread through friends and on social media.
About a half dozen attendees spoke about Joseph and the circumstances of his death and the impact of the news on Vancouver’s communities of color, but most simply expressed solidarity and support for the family.
