James Brennand, a former San Antonio Police Department officer who shot and seriously injured a teenage boy who was eating in his car in a McDonald’s parking lot, has been arrested and charged with assault. Brennand was fired from the force on October 4, two days after the shooting.
Brennand turned himself in Tuesday night, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said during a news conference. He now faces two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant.
McManus said the two charges were for each of the two people in the car at the time of the shooting.
Brennand shot 17-year-old Erik Cantú on October 2. Body camera video showed Brennand walking toward a parked car in a McDonald’s parking lot. He then opened the driver’s side door and ordered Cantu out of the car. Cantú, who was holding a hamburger, appeared surprised and backed up.
As the car backed up, the open door hit Brennand. About five seconds after opening the door, Brennand fired five shots at the car. He fired an additional five shots as the car drove away.
Brennand, who had been on the force less than a year, violated his training and police procedures after approaching the car, Police Training Commander Alyssa Campos said in a statement announcing he had been fired.
“The officer abruptly opened the driver’s door and ordered him to get out of the car” before the arrival of the backup officers Brennand had requested, Campos said.
“Nothing that officer did that night was in accordance with our training or our policies,” McManus said Monday.
McManus said Tuesday that Brennand was certified to patrol alone, but that the shooting was “wrongful, both administratively and criminally.”
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He said the department and training academy staff are “confident that our policies and our training, when it comes to these types of incidents, are robust.”
“This was a bust for an individual police officer,” McManus said. “He had nothing to do with our policies. The policies don’t allow that. Our training doesn’t teach that.”
Cantu’s family said Tuesday that the teen remains on life support.
“The last two days have been difficult and we expect more difficulties in the future, but we remain hopeful,” the family said in a statement. “We would like to correct any misrepresentation that Erik is in ‘stable condition’ or that 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.”
McManus said at his news conference Tuesday that if Cantu “doesn’t make it, then the charges will change.”
Brennand was called to McDonald’s for an unrelated disturbance. He told investigators the car resembled one that had evaded him the day before.
A Texas prosecutor said in a statement Friday that he has not seen enough evidence to bring charges against the teen.
“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 thus far have led us to dismiss charges against Erik Cantu for further investigation.” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. .
Source: https://wikisoon.com/
