An Idaho police department is facing criticism and drawing protests after the shooting of an autistic teenager was caught on video.
Victor Perez, 17, was shot by Pocatello police on Saturday as officers responded to “a reported physical disturbance” involving an “intoxicated” male “in possession of a knife,” the department said in a press release.
Video of the shooting taken by a neighbor shows four officers arriving on the scene and shouting at Perez to drop the knife before firing multiple times in less than 15 seconds, separated from the teen by a chain-link fence.
Perez was taken to a hospital where he remained in critical condition on Tuesday after having nine bullets removed and his leg amputated, his aunt, Ana Vazquez, told The Associated Press.
His family later confirmed that Perez has autism and is nonverbal, intellectually disabled and physically impaired by cerebral palsy. They said he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting and was not intoxicated.
“The police barely spoke to anyone. They just said get back and they just, they shot to kill,” Vazquez said.
Pocatello Police Department Chief Roger Schei attempted to “address some misconceptions” about the shooting and defended the officer’s actions during a news conference Monday night.
“We understand the concern and emotion surrounding the officer-involved shooting that occurred,” Schei said. “We are also aware of the video circulating online, which shows only one angle. The full picture requires careful review of all facts and evidence.”
Schei added that “in situations like this,” officers are forced to make decisions in seconds” while assessing the threat to themselves and others nearby.
“In this case, two individuals were within a few feet of an armed noncompliant individual,” he said. “The risk was immediate, and the situation rapidly evolving.”
Schei also showed a picture of a large kitchen knife at the news conference, which he claimed the teen was holding.
Neighbor Brad Andres, who recorded the video, said it was his 19-year-old son who made the 911 call that brought the police.
“My son was the one that called the 911 with the hopes of helping the family deal with the situation that was going on,” Andres told The Associated Press. “He had no idea that what was going to transpire.”
Andres told Local News 8 that the officers overreacted and had no need to shoot the teen.
“He was having a really bad day with mental issues, but he wasn’t chasing anybody, and everybody could easily get out of the reach of his knife,” he said. “This wasn’t a really dangerous situation.”
Protesters have gathered outside the Pocatello Police Department since Sunday to express their indignation. Signs have included messages such as “Why were your guns drawn?” and “What are Tasers for?”
Chief Schei said more information could not be released because the shooting was still being investigated by the East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.
With News Wire Services
