UPDATED 10/11, 9:50 p.m. ET: Erik Cantu, the 17-year-old who was shot by a San Antonio police officer last week while eating in his car at a McDonald’s parking lot, is on life support.
Cantu’s lawyer Brian Powers told ABC News on Sunday that Cantu is “fighting for his life every minute of the day as his body has endured a tremendous amount of trauma.”
“Thank you everyone for your prayers and well wishes for Erik,” the family said in a statement to KSAT. “At this time, there is no improvement in his condition. He is still unconscious and is on life support. The last two days have been difficult and we expect more difficulty ahead, but we remain hopeful. We’d like to correct any misrepresentations that Erik is in ‘stable condition’ or he is ‘going to be fine.’ That is not true. Every breath is a struggle for Erik. We ask for everyone’s continued prayers for our son.”
See original story below.
A Texas police officer has been fired after body cam footage captured him shooting an unarmed teenager in a McDonald’s parking lot.
The Associated Press reports San Antonio Officer James Brennand opened fire on Erik Cantu, 17, on Oct. 2 while Cantu was sitting in his car eating a hamburger.
“While Sunday’s shooting of an unarmed teenager by a then-San Antonio Police officer remains under investigation, the facts and evidence we have received so far led us to reject the charges against Erik Cantu for further investigation,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said.
“As we do with all officer-involved shootings that result in death or serious injury, we will submit the case to a Grand Jury for their consideration. Until that happens, we can make no further comment on this matter,” Gonzales added.
Brennand, who was on the police force less than a year, approached the teen, who opened the door before driving away, at which point Brennand shot several times at the car.
“The officer abruptly opened the driver’s door and ordered the driver out of the car” before the arrival of backup officers that Brennand had requested, Campos told reporters.
Cantu, who was hospitalized in stable condition, has been charged with evading police and aggravated assault.
“There is nothing I can say in defense of that officer’s actions that night,” Police Chief William McManus told WOAI-TV. “I think what happened, initially, there was some contact made, but that did not justify the shooting.”
