A Texas police officer who shot and wounded a teenager who was sitting in his car eating a hamburger has been fired, police said.
San Antonio Officer James Brennand was fired after he shot Erik Cantu, 17, on Oct. 2 in a fast-food restaurant parking lot, said Police Training Cmdr. Alyssa Campos in a video statement released Wednesday.
Brennand had responded to an unrelated disturbance at the fast-food restaurant when he saw Cantu inside the car, which had passed out a day earlier, Campos said.
A Texas prosecutor said in a statement Friday that he has not seen enough evidence to file charges against the teenager. “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 to date have led us to dismiss the charges against Erik Cantu for further investigation,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. .
A Texas prosecutor said in a statement Friday that he has not seen enough evidence to file charges against the teenager. (AP)
Brennand, who had been on the force for less than a year, violated his training and police procedures after approaching the car, Campos said. “The officer suddenly opened the driver’s door and ordered the driver out of the car” before the arrival of the security officers Brennand had requested, Campos said.
Cantu, in the officer’s body camera video, looks toward Brennand while holding a hamburger, then reverses the car, hitting the officer with the open door. Brennand then opened fire several times as the door closed and Cantu left. struck by gunfire, he stopped nearby where he and a passenger, who were not injured, were found by police.
“There is nothing I can say in defense of this officer’s actions that night,” Police Chief William McManus told WOAI-TV. “I think what happened, initially, there was some contact, but that didn’t justify the shooting.” Cantú was hospitalized in stable condition and initially charged with evading police and aggravated assault. Gonzales, the district attorney, said no decision had been made. made on whether to file charges against Brennand, pending the outcome of a police investigation into the shooting.
“As we do with all officer-involved shootings that result in death or serious injury, we will present the case to a Grand Jury for consideration. Until that happens, we cannot comment further on this matter,” Gonzales said. Police and an attorney for Cantu did not immediately return phone calls for comment Friday.
