SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A teen shot by a San Antonio police officer three weeks in the past as he put his automobile in reverse whereas consuming a hamburger continues to be hospitalized and his situation stays “very contact and go,” his father mentioned Tuesday within the household’s first public feedback because the taking pictures.
“He’s getting barely higher, his wounds are therapeutic, however the wounds that he is endured, they’re nice, there’s loads of them,” Eric Cantu mentioned at a information convention.
Household lawyer Ben Crump – who has taken on a number of the nation’s most high-profile police killings of Black folks – mentioned the household has been advised that the now-fired officer who shot 17-year-old Erik Cantu racially profiled him whereas looking for a Hispanic suspect.
Cantu was shot on Oct. 2 by Officer James Brennand in a McDonald’s parking zone. After the taking pictures, the 27-year-old rookie officer was fired and charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public official. Police mentioned Brennand violated his coaching and police procedures after approaching the automobile.
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In physique digital camera footage launched by police, Brennand opens the automobile door and tells Cantu to get out. The automobile drives backward with the door open, and the officer fires a number of occasions into the automobile. He continues to shoot because the automobile drives away.
Police have mentioned Brennand was responding to an unrelated disturbance when he noticed Cantu inside a automobile he believed had evaded him the day earlier than throughout an tried visitors cease. Brennand mentioned he suspected the automobile was stolen.
Police have mentioned that though registration plates did not match the automobile Cantu was working, the automobile itself was not stolen.
Crump mentioned the Bexar County district lawyer advised the household that the officer was on the lookout for a Hispanic teen with a bowl haircut and he profiled Cantu. The district lawyer’s workplace advised The Related Press on Tuesday that it doesn’t publicly touch upon the details of pending circumstances.
“That is the half that hurts, is that he was profiled and he was violently injured over it,” Eric Cantu mentioned.
Crump mentioned the teenager “is continuous to struggle for his life on life assist.”
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The teenager’s mom, Victoria Casarez, mentioned she does not know what number of occasions her son was shot. She mentioned 4 bullets have been have been present in his physique, together with one lodged close to his coronary heart.
She mentioned he has been wounded in his abdomen, diaphragm, lungs, liver and arm.
“He is simply mutilated and it hurts us to see our son this fashion,” she mentioned.
Brennand has been launched from jail on bond. A message left with Brennand’s lawyer was not instantly returned Tuesday afternoon.
Brennand was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public official as a result of there was additionally a passenger in Cantu’s automobile. The passenger was unhurt.
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