The twin brother of Andre Gladen, the 36-year-old Black man fatally shot by Portland police Officer Consider Vosu on January 6, is requesting a meeting with Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Chief Danielle Outlaw.
"The policing institutions of the City of Portland failed Andre," wrote Fonte Gladen, speaking for himself and nine other members of Andre's family in a letter sent yesterday afternoon to Wheeler and Outlaw. "I implore you not to fail me and the rest of Andre's family."
Andre, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had sought emergency psychiatric care at Adventist Medical Center on January 6. Shortly after being discharged from the hospital, he appeared at Desmond Pescaia's doorstep, seeking help. At the time, Andre was not wearing shoes, carrying a blanket, and wearing pants that were soiled with urine.
It should be noted: Medical records from a 2017 exam at Kaiser Permanente—which his family obtained and shared with the Mercury—show that Andre is "permanently, legally blind."
Pescaia offered Andre cash to ride the MAX or get some food, then asked Andre to leave. Instead, Andre fell asleep on Pescaia's porch, prompting Pescaia to call PPB. Andre woke up when Officer Vosu arrived, and yelled at Pescaia to let him inside. Pescaia opened the door, and Andre bolted inside, with Vosu following close behind him. According to Pescaia, the two men wrestled on the floor as Vosu tried, unsuccessfully, to handcuff Andre, at which point Vosu then shocked Andre with a Taser. According to police reports, Andre then pulled out a knife and ran towards Vosu, who fired his gun. Andre was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Portland mental health advocates and police accountability activists responded to Andre's death with outrage, pointing to the police bureau's trend of disproportionally shooting people of color and people who have mental illness.
Fonte echoed those concerns in his letter:
"I write on behalf of myself and the family of Andre Gladen and on behalf of the citizens of the city of Portland, African Americans [stet] citizens, those with mental health problems, those with physical disabilities and limitations; all who because of the color of the of their skin, their physical challenges, their mental challenged are prey and fall victim to the 'hunters' who are wrongfully enrolled on the roster of the Portland Police Bureau."
The letter asks Wheeler and Outlaw to meet with the Gladen family in Portland City Hall on Feb. 21 or 22.
"Please meet with us and answer the questions we have about this tragedy we are trying to deal with," Fonte closed.
Gladen's family has retained Chicago-based attorney Andrew Stroth to investigate Andre's case. Stroth also represents the family of John Elifritz, the man fatally shot by law enforcement at a homeless shelter in April 2018.
"We are conducting a full independent investigation and will pursue civil litigation to help the family obtain truth and justice,” Stroth told the Mercury .
Neither Wheeler nor PPB have responded to the Mercury's request for comment.
