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 is still hospitalized and his condition stays “very contact and go,” his father stated Tuesday in the family’s first public feedback for the reason that taking pictures.
“He is getting barely higher, his wounds are therapeutic, however the wounds that he is endured, they’re nice, there is a lot of them,” Eric Cantu stated at a information convention to replace the general public about his son’s condition.
Family lawyer Ben Crump — who has taken on a few of the nation’s most high-profile police killings of Black folks — stated the family 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 lot. 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 stated Brennand violated his coaching and police procedures after approaching the automobile.
Officer fired a number of instances into automobile
In physique digicam 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 instances into the car. He continues to shoot because the automobile drives away.
Police have stated 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 stated he suspected the automobile was stolen.
Police have stated that though registration plates did not match the car Cantu was working, the automobile itself was not stolen.
Crump stated the Bexar County district lawyer advised the family that the officer was searching for a Hispanic teen with a bowl haircut and he profiled Cantu. The district lawyer’s workplace advised The Associated Press on Tuesday that it doesn’t publicly touch upon the info of pending instances.
“This is the half that hurts, is that he was profiled and he was violently injured over it,” Erik Cantu Sr. stated.
4 bullets discovered in physique, mother says
Crump stated the teen “is continuous to struggle for his life on life assist.”
The teen’s mom, Victoria Casarez, stated she does not know what number of instances her son was shot. She stated 4 bullets have been discovered in his physique, together with one lodged close to his coronary heart.
She stated has been wounded in his abdomen, diaphragm, lungs, liver and arm.
“He’s simply mutilated and it hurts us to see our son this manner,” she stated.
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 car. The passenger was unhurt.