Idaho Police
Body Cam Shows Cops Shooting Autistic Teen
Published
Police in Idaho have released body cam footage of a tragic incident involving an autistic teenager, Victor Perez.
The Pocatello Police Department officers can be seen opening fire on the 17-year-old within seconds of arriving at the scene.
Pocatello Police Department
During the confrontation, Victor was holding a knife in a fenced-in yard while interacting with family members.
Despite being nonverbal and autistic, Victor approached the officers with the knife, leading them to open fire.
Victor’s family has stated that he had autism, was nonverbal, and had cerebral palsy, conditions unknown to the officers at the time of the incident.
Although Victor was armed with a knife, his family insists he was not intoxicated and was struggling due to his disabilities.
AP
Victor sustained multiple gunshot wounds, resulting in critical condition and the eventual decision to remove life support.
The video footage has sparked public outrage, leading to protests and vigils in Pocatello.
The East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is currently conducting an investigation into the incident.
