Idaho teen with autism shot by police declared brain dead

Victor Perez, an Idaho teen with autism and cerebral palsy, was declared brain dead late Friday night, days after he was shot by police officers in his own backyard, his family said.

The officer-involved shooting unfolded on the evening of April 5, while 17-year-old Perez and his family enjoyed a barbeque outside their home in Pocatello, Perez’s aunt, Ana Vazquez, told NBC News.

Authorities responded to the residence around 5:22 p.m. to investigate a report of a physical disturbance involving a person with a knife and three other people.

Within seconds of arriving, police shot Perez, making no apparent effort to deescalate the situation or use less lethal weapons.

Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei said officers repeatedly ordered Perez to drop the knife, but that he ignored their commands and advanced toward them while holding the weapon.

Video taken by a neighbor shows four officers shouting at the teen before firing at him through a chain-link fence.

Perez was rushed to a hospital, where his legs were amputated before he was declared brain dead on Friday, Vazquez said. His family, in response, have decided to take him off life support.

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This photo provided by Ana L Vazquez, shows Victor Perez in a hospital bed in Pocatello, Idaho. (Ana L Vazquez via AP)

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“The police barely spoke to anyone,” his aunt said. “They just said get back and they just, they shot to kill.”

Vazquez did acknowledge that Perez managed to get his hands on a knife during the barbeque despite his family’s attempts to hide it from him. She added that his sister was trying to get the knife away when officers arrived on the scene, but Vazquez maintained that no one was ever in any danger.

Perez’s family has said the teen was suffering a behavioral episode at the time of the shooting and that authorities unnecessarily escalated the situation. They also noted that they can typically calm Perez when he gets agitated.

With News Wire Services