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Idaho Police Shooting of Teenager with Autism Sparks Outcry
POCATELLO, ID – A family is demanding answers after an Idaho teenager, identified as Victor Perez, was shot multiple times by police officers. The aunt of the 17-year-old, who is autistic and has cerebral palsy, contends that law enforcement should have exercised greater patience and evaluated the situation more thoroughly before resorting to gunfire in the incident in Pocatello.
Teen in Critical Condition Following Police Confrontation
According to his aunt, Ana Vazquez, Victor Perez remains in critical condition at a local hospital. He has been unconscious since the police shooting on Saturday. The incident unfolded after Perez, during a family barbecue, obtained a knife. His sister was attempting to disarm him when a neighbor, unaware of Perez’s medical condition or ongoing mental health episode, contacted the police for assistance.
Family Alleges Police Rushed into Shooting
“He called so the cops could assist us,” Vazquez explained, emphasizing the neighbor’s lack of awareness regarding Perez’s disabilities and mental state. The shooting, which was captured on video, has ignited protests within the city of approximately 56,300 residents.
Vazquez asserted that responding officers did not inquire about the circumstances upon arrival. She claims they disregarded family members present at the scene.
“They didn’t listen; they didn’t even hesitate to shoot,” Vazquez stated. “They just shoot to kill.”
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Mayor Addresses “Tragic” Shooting, Investigation Underway
Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad released a statement acknowledging the “tragic” nature of the shooting and affirmed that a comprehensive investigation is currently in progress. He conveyed his sympathy to the Perez family.
Blad confirmed that the four officers involved were immediately placed on administrative leave, which he noted is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.
“We are addressing this matter with the seriousness and thoroughness it warrants and with the appropriate respect for the gravity of the situation,” Mayor Blad stated. “Criminal, external, and internal investigations regarding the officer-involved shooting are underway.”
Police Chief: Teenager Advanced with Weapon
Police Chief Roger Schei stated that officers repeatedly instructed Perez to drop the knife. Schei indicated that Perez allegedly stood up and moved towards the officers while still armed.
The initial 911 call reportedly suggested that an individual was attempting to stab another person with a knife.
“In this case, two individuals were within close proximity to an armed, non-compliant individual,” Chief Schei explained during a Monday news conference. “The risk was immediate, and the situation rapidly evolving.”
Family Disputes Threat Claim, Eyewitness Video Emerges
The teenager’s aunt refuted claims that Perez posed a threat to the family. She clarified that family members had hidden a knife, but Perez located and retrieved it. Relatives were attempting to take the knife from him at the time of the police arrival.
“The kid was not threatening us; he was not doing that,” she emphasized. “We were trying to take the knife out of his hands.”
Eyewitness video of the incident has surfaced, corroborating aspects of the family’s account. The footage, circulated on Facebook, depicts an individual on the ground holding a knife in a yard. A woman can be seen attempting to dissuade him, uttering “no, no,” and endeavoring to restrain him or seize the knife.
According to time stamps on the video, police arrived at the scene at the 2:44 mark. Four armed officers are heard shouting “Drop the knife” from behind a garden fence. Perez struggles to his feet and moves in the direction of the officers, who discharged their weapons at 2:58, followed by audible screams from his family.
Community Support and Family’s Vigil at Hospital
Vazquez reported that Perez remains on life support at the hospital.
“We’re devastated. Every day we go there, we talk to the kid, we check to if there’s improvement,” she shared. “So we’re just waiting.”
The family, originally from western Puerto Rico, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the Idaho community.
“It’s an amazing community,” she concluded.