The mother and father of a 17-year-old boy who was shot by a San Antonio police officer within the parking zone of McDonald’s stated the previous three weeks have been a “horrific rollercoaster” as their son continues to battle for his life.
“He is simply mutilated and it hurts us to see our son that manner,” Erik Cantu’s mom stated at a information convention Tuesday.
His father stated the scenario is “very contact and go” and that Cantu just lately developed pneumonia, which sophisticated his progress.
It was the primary time Cantu’s mother and father have publicly spoken in regards to the Oct. 2 taking pictures, when then-officer James Brennand opened fireplace on the teenager. Brennand has since been fired from the power and charged with aggravated assault.
Police physique digicam footage of the incident confirmed that Cantu was in a maroon automobile within the restaurant’s parking zone when Brennand yanked the motive force’s door open and ordered Cantu to get out.
Cantu was within the driver’s seat consuming a hamburger, and a 17-year-old woman was within the passenger seat.
The teenager put the automobile in reverse with the motive force’s door nonetheless open and backed up. Capt. Alyssa Campos, the division’s coaching commander, stated in a video assertion that the door hit Brennand.
Brennand opened fireplace 5 occasions because the automobile reversed, the video confirmed. He fired 5 extra pictures as Cantu drove away. The teenager was discovered a couple of block away affected by a number of gunshot wounds. He has been within the hospital ever since and stays on life help.
“Erik just isn’t our Erik,” his father stated, including that the teenager underwent a tracheotomy and is on heavy treatment. “Because the medical doctors attempt to wean him off these items in the previous few days, it would not appear to counteract as the way in which we anticipated. Subsequently, these little steps we see each day, we simply hold going again.”
Cantu’s mother and father stated they imagine he was shot 4 occasions. His mom stated that all the bullets have been eliminated besides one that continues to be lodged close to his coronary heart.
“They’re unable to get that out proper now. It will do extra hurt than good,” she advised reporters.
Police stated that Brennand was known as to McDonald’s on Blanco Highway for an unrelated disturbance name and approached Cantu’s automobile as a result of he believed it had evaded him the day earlier than when he tried to conduct a site visitors cease. Campos stated Brennand thought the automobile was stolen, a declare the household denies.
Legal professional Ben Crump, who’s representing the household, stated Brennand racially profiled Cantu and “thought he had the appropriate to only eviscerate the Structure.” Associate legal professional Paul Grinke stated they plan on wanting into insurance policies and coaching on the San Antonio Police Division.
On the time of the taking pictures, Brennand had been on the power for seven months and was nonetheless on probation, a normal follow for San Antonio officers who graduated from the police academy lower than a 12 months in the past. He was fired after the taking pictures, then arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault on Oct. 11. He posted bond and was launched.
“These incidents do not begin for the time being the set off is pulled,” Grinke stated. “They begin again within the hiring course of, within the coaching course of, within the retention course of and within the insurance policies and procedures of every police division.”
