The family of a 17-year-old who was shot several times by a police officer in San Antonio in a McDonald’s parking lot has disclosed that their son has pneumonia and often has hallucinations.
On October 2, while sitting and eating in Erik Cantu’s 2008 BMW 1281 with a female passenger, rookie officer James Brennand, 25, shot Cantu up to five times.
When physicians lower his pain medication, according to his parents Erik Cantu Sr. and Victoria Casarez, he now experiences cardiac arrest. He also has hallucinations in which he imitates pressing the gas pedal.
He also has pneumonia as a result of his lengthy intubation after spending three weeks in the ICU.
Cantu Sr. observed, “These are the things that we have to see and experience every day that no one should have to see or feel.”
Cantu is still in serious condition and is anticipated to be in the ICU for at least three more weeks.
The parents of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd are requesting that Brennand be charged with murder, according to civil rights attorney Ben Crump. A civil lawsuit is still a possibility.
According to Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales, Brennand believed Cantu was a suspect because he was “a Hispanic child with a bowl-shaped hairdo.”
Crump claims that by presuming Cantu had stolen the car he was driving, Brennand violated Cantu’s Fourth Amendment rights.
Crump responded, “That is it.” That is the reason we are here. That is the reason (Brennand) fired ten shots.
The family also disclosed that further body cam video exists but has not yet been made public.
As Brennand put handcuffs on the shotteen, Cantu Sr. recounted the video, saying that Cantu was begging for his mother and yelling, “I’ve been shot.”
Brennand allegedly said, “Yes, you have, because I shot you.”
The family is now requesting that Cantu’s $200,000 bond be revoked since Cantu falsely claimed that Brennand had been hit by Cantu’s automobile in the leaked video and Brennand shown “no compassion” in it.
With him walking the streets, “no one is secure,” Casarez said.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said that the body cam tape is “horrific” to view and that he feels “there is no doubt in anybody’s mind looking at that video that the shooting is not justifiable.”
Because it was her choice to wait outside the fast food restaurant that evening, Cantu’s passenger admitted to feeling shame as well as disbelief.
Her boyfriend Cantu wanted to eat inside, but she begged him to utilize the drive-through so they could simply eat in the vehicle since she was exhausted, according to reports.
Cantu took his first few bites after they had parked in the lot and picked up their food at the window while listening to music.
At that point, the officer apparently thought the maroon automobile was stolen.
Police have acknowledged that Cantu’s automobile had a license plate from a different vehicle, but they have not said with certainty if it was stolen.
Cantu was yanked out of the door by Brennand, who suddenly opened it.
According to the girl, they were both astonished and terrified and unsure of what was occurring, according to individuals who spoke with DailyMail.com.
The original incident is seen on Brennand’s bodycam video.
When Cantu tried to put the car in reverse while questioning the officer’s commands, the door grabbed Brennand, who quickly fired six rounds into the driver’s side of the automobile.
Cantu attempted to flee in his car, but Brennand persisted in fire, totaling 10 rounds, four or five of which struck the adolescent.
As they drove away, the girl could hear the audible bursts of gunfire. Then they came to a halt a block away.
Cantu was assisted by the female in removing his seatbelt before they both exited. Cantu was unaware that he had been hurt in other places as he held his injured arm.
According to a source, “He assumed it was just his arm.”
Cantu suffered damage to his stomach, liver, diaphragm, lungs, and arms, according to family attorney Brian Powers.
The source said, “He was screaming “help” and urging her to “call an ambulance.”
On the sidewalk, she was holding his head on her lap. She could see blood oozing from his stomach and was screaming for assistance.
A little while later, the police caught up with them. The girl said that Brennand told her to look aside while he cuffed Cantu’s hands behind his back.
While handcuffing a suspect even before giving them help is typical protocol for police to prevent possibly disruptive behavior, many individuals close to Cantu told DailyMail.com they thought it was outrageously inappropriate since the officer is the one who shot the defenseless boy twice.
They also thought it strange that, despite his intentions, he would instruct his passenger to turn their heads away.
The bodycam video of the handcuffing has not yet been released by the authorities. They claim that while waiting for the paramedics, Brennand performed CPR.
He turned himself in at the Bexar County Jail and was later charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public official.
The date of the hearing is November 23.