THE CASE
A Texas police officer who shot and injured a teenager who was sitting in his car eating a hamburger was fired, police said. San Antonio agent James Brennand was fired after shooting 17-year-old Erik Cantu on October 2 in a McDonald’s parking lot, police commander Alyssa Campos said. Brennand had responded to an unrelated disorder at McDonald’s when he saw Cantu inside the car, which he had missed a day earlier, Campos said. In a statement, the Texas attorney said he did not see enough evidence to file a charge against the teenager. “The facts and evidence we have received so far have led us to dismiss the charges against Erik Cantu for further investigation,” said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. Brennand, who had been on duty for less than a year, violated his police training and procedures after approaching the car, Campos said.
“The agent abruptly opened the driver’s door and ordered him to get out of the car” before the reinforcements requested by Brennand arrived, Campos said. Cantu, in the agent’s camera video, looks over at Brennand as he holds a hamburger, then backs off and hits the agent with the door open. Brennand then opened fire several times as the door closed and Cantu walked away. Cantu, who was shot at, stopped nearby where he and a passenger, who was not injured, were found by police. “There is nothing I can say in defense of the agent’s actions that night,” Police Chief William McManus said. “I think there was contact at the beginning, but that doesn’t justify the shot.” Cantu was hospitalized in stable condition and was initially charged with evading the police and aggravated assault. Gonzales, the district attorney, said it was not decided whether to prosecute the charges against Brennand, pending the outcome of the police investigation into the shooting. “As we do with all shootings involving agents causing deaths or serious injuries, we will submit the case to the grand jury for consideration. Until then, we cannot comment further on the matter,” Gonzales said.
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