Identified! AZ - Avondale, BlkMale 15-20, UP101055, fatally shot by police, Left Earlobe Piercing, Multi-color Crocs, Feb'23 - Amarion Deontis Hope

[EmiliaRT007]

It could be that the young man's family requested his name be suppressed. If his death turns into a criminal investigation the name will be released.

It stated in multiple news outlets that his name is being withheld due to his age, but it could indeed be a possibility that his family is requesting this too.

 

[Teignmouth 22]

This is a very sad case. R.I.P. young man and condolences to his loved ones.

 

[9glenn9]

Avondale John Doe is Amarion Deontis Hope, a 17-year-old from Chicago. His mother made it public on social media.

I feel very sorry for the loss of the young man's family and I hope he gets justice. The only reason the police department would still be withholding his identity, would be in an attempt to do damage control. That is my own opinion of course.

 

[Grungster]

Avondale John Doe is Amarion Deontis Hope, a 17-year-old from Chicago. His mother made it public on social media.

I feel very sorry for the loss of the young man's family and I hope he gets justice. The only reason the police department would still be withholding his identity, would be in an attempt to do damage control. That is my own opinion of course.

The bodycam footage reveals that Amarion was running away from the officer, not at the officer. I don't condone shoplifting (we don't really know any circumstances), and yes, it would appear from the footage that there was some sort of struggle, but it's not a death sentence and it's not the job of an officer to play the judge, jury, and executioner. At that point in time, the officer was not in danger, and shooting him in the back was unwarranted. Tasing him would have been justifiable but not shooting him.

Across various social media platforms, I cannot begin to describe how much victim-shaming I read. This is someone's life we are talking about and a mother out there won't see her son ever again.

As far as it has been released to the public, the officer remains on administrative leave, so perhaps there are charges being filed, which I certainly hope.

May Amarion rest in peace.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

no one deserves to die like this. No one.

Amarion Deontis Hope

saying his name is important.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

Avondale John Doe is Amarion Deontis Hope, a 17-year-old from Chicago. His mother made it public on social media.

I feel very sorry for the loss of the young man's family and I hope he gets justice. The only reason the police department would still be withholding his identity, would be in an attempt to do damage control. That is my own opinion of course.

RIP Amarion.

 

[Hochman]

Avondale John Doe is Amarion Deontis Hope, a 17-year-old from Chicago. His mother made it public on social media.

I feel very sorry for the loss of the young man's family and I hope he gets justice. The only reason the police department would still be withholding his identity, would be in an attempt to do damage control. That is my own opinion of course.

Home Page - Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner Case Status (Search 2023-01964)

Here's confirmation that Avondale JD is indeed Amarion.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

Home Page - Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner Case Status (Search 2023-01964)
View attachment 433865

Here's confirmation that Avondale JD is indeed Amarion.

Did they finally release his name? Last time I checked it didn’t show his name.

 

[Hochman]

Did they finally release his name? Last time I checked it didn’t show his name.

When he was first identified, it was released via the ME case status. I didn't post it initially as a worried about the LE not wanting it to be released. Now that the mother has come forward with his Identity, i felt it was safe to post.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

So sad… I still don’t understand why they shot Amarion. He was only shoplifting… besides I’m pretty sure he wasn’t really “there” mentally. He was mentally ill… he needed help. I’m sure that he was absolutely terrified in his last few minutes… and all the disgusting comments people left about him… he was 17… a kid! Just a month shy of his 18th birthday…

Edit: Yeah shoplifting is a crime, but it’s very minor on the grand scheme of things. And the people on social media defending the police officer for shooting Amarion while he was fleeing… what is wrong with people?

 

[EmiliaRT007]

When he was first identified, it was released via the ME case status. I didn't post it initially as a worried about the LE not wanting it to be released. Now that the mother has come forward with his Identity, i felt it was safe to post.

That’s understandable. If it was always being withheld as in even the family would not mention the name, then I can understand not posting it here.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

no one deserves to die like this. No one.

Amarion Deontis Hope

saying his name is important.

Yes! Say his name…
Amarion Deontis Hope.

 

[pukasonqo2]

Yes! Say his name…
Amarion Deontis Hope.

David Byrne did an amazing version of Janelle Monae’s “ Hell you Talmbout”, sadly the list of names of those shot by the police keeps getting longer and longer
May you be at peace Amarion Deontis Hope

 

[HopeRains]

I called and sent the information to local and national BlackLivesMatter sites, as well as a local news station. Some of that has been reposted and interest/sympathy has been expressed. The information was not "secret" - it's been on the ME website since he was identified - it just hasn't been publicly released locally. His Mom posted his missing flyer on the PD Facebook page within days of his ID and others indicated the victim was out of Chicago and reported as a missing person and possible locations of Arizona, Atlanta and other places - she hashtagged these locations in her posts on her own page. If you have read any of that information, it is incredibly, incredibly sad. My heart breaks for his mother.

Now that his ID has been posted in this thread, a new thread needs to be started. You are Not resisting the police when you are shot 5 times in the back. Period. The person who posted his identity here can do it or I can, just let me know.

As a sidebar, I started on some research at beginning of June also, after learning another PD was going to be investigating. This is standard practice in that area and there are multiple prior investigations across different local PDs for various reasons - the documentation I was looking at the time was from around 2015 and prior, certain there is more current info. As I recall there were some officer shootings, and also other officer offenses for which the individual was put on administrative leave pending investigation.

I will never forget.

 

[TheHighestPriestess]

I called and sent the information to local and national BlackLivesMatter sites, as well as a local news station. Some of that has been reposted and interest/sympathy has been expressed. The information was not "secret" - it's been on the ME website since he was identified - it just hasn't been publicly released locally. His Mom posted his missing flyer on the PD Facebook page within days of his ID and others indicated the victim was out of Chicago and reported as a missing person and possible locations of Arizona, Atlanta and other places - she hashtagged these locations in her posts on her own page. If you have read any of that information, it is incredibly, incredibly sad. My heart breaks for his mother.

Now that his ID has been posted in this thread, a new thread needs to be started. You are Not resisting the police when you are shot 5 times in the back. Period. The person who posted his identity here can do it or I can, just let me know.

As a sidebar, I started on some research at beginning of June also, after learning another PD was going to be investigating. This is standard practice in that area and there are multiple prior investigations across different local PDs for various reasons - the documentation I was looking at the time was from around 2015 and prior, certain there is more current info. As I recall there were some officer shootings, and also other officer offenses for which the individual was put on administrative leave pending investigation.

I will never forget.

Thank you for doing this, people need to know!

Have they released the name of the officer involved? A lot of times these officers will get "let go" after a shooting like this and then get quietly rehired later or pick up a job at police department in another district...

 

[EmiliaRT007]

I called and sent the information to local and national BlackLivesMatter sites, as well as a local news station. Some of that has been reposted and interest/sympathy has been expressed. The information was not "secret" - it's been on the ME website since he was identified - it just hasn't been publicly released locally. His Mom posted his missing flyer on the PD Facebook page within days of his ID and others indicated the victim was out of Chicago and reported as a missing person and possible locations of Arizona, Atlanta and other places - she hashtagged these locations in her posts on her own page. If you have read any of that information, it is incredibly, incredibly sad. My heart breaks for his mother.

Now that his ID has been posted in this thread, a new thread needs to be started. You are Not resisting the police when you are shot 5 times in the back. Period. The person who posted his identity here can do it or I can, just let me know.

As a sidebar, I started on some research at beginning of June also, after learning another PD was going to be investigating. This is standard practice in that area and there are multiple prior investigations across different local PDs for various reasons - the documentation I was looking at the time was from around 2015 and prior, certain there is more current info. As I recall there were some officer shootings, and also other officer offenses for which the individual was put on administrative leave pending investigation.

I will never forget.

My heart breaks for Amarion’s family and friends. He didn’t deserve this. The police officer should be ashamed of himself for shooting a 17yo with a mental illness. How sad.

 

[Susikatze]

So sad… I still don’t understand why they shot Amarion. He was only shoplifting… besides I’m pretty sure he wasn’t really “there” mentally. He was mentally ill… he needed help. I’m sure that he was absolutely terrified in his last few minutes… and all the disgusting comments people left about him… he was 17… a kid! Just a month shy of his 18th birthday…

Edit: Yeah shoplifting is a crime, but it’s very minor on the grand scheme of things. And the people on social media defending the police officer for shooting Amarion while he was fleeing… what is wrong with people?

And it is more than again police disproportionally reacting. It seems it was a full failure of social services. This kid would have needed help - free or affordable easy access to therapy, a safe place in a nice group home to sleep and live and social workers who check on him. He was an unwell child who ended up living on the streets. Instead of killing him, they should have scooped him up and getting him some help. He looked like a deeply spiritual, gentle soul.

 

[EmiliaRT007]

And it is more than again police disproportionally reacting. It seems it was a full failure of social services. This kid would have needed help - free or affordable easy access to therapy, a safe place in a nice group home to sleep and live and social workers who check on him. He was an unwell child who ended up living on the streets. Instead of killing him, they should have scooped him up and getting him some help. He looked like a deeply spiritual, gentle soul.

I’m sure he was a nice kid. It’s obvious he wasn’t well. He needed help. This case breaks my heart and it disgusts me how people STILL agree with the police’s actions in this case.

 

[Springrain]

I called and sent the information to local and national BlackLivesMatter sites, as well as a local news station. Some of that has been reposted and interest/sympathy has been expressed. The information was not "secret" - it's been on the ME website since he was identified - it just hasn't been publicly released locally. His Mom posted his missing flyer on the PD Facebook page within days of his ID and others indicated the victim was out of Chicago and reported as a missing person and possible locations of Arizona, Atlanta and other places - she hashtagged these locations in her posts on her own page. If you have read any of that information, it is incredibly, incredibly sad. My heart breaks for his mother.

Now that his ID has been posted in this thread, a new thread needs to be started. You are Not resisting the police when you are shot 5 times in the back. Period. The person who posted his identity here can do it or I can, just let me know.

As a sidebar, I started on some research at beginning of June also, after learning another PD was going to be investigating. This is standard practice in that area and there are multiple prior investigations across different local PDs for various reasons - the documentation I was looking at the time was from around 2015 and prior, certain there is more current info. As I recall there were some officer shootings, and also other officer offenses for which the individual was put on administrative leave pending investigation.

I will never forget.

Thanks for sharing and for what you have done to help inform folks of the sad circumstances behind Amarion's death, and being an advocate for him.

 

[jarochlitz]

Why won’t they show his face? They really want him to be found? Why did they shoot him? A mother is wondering where her son is? How sad.