Family of the Pocatello Police shooting victim share their grief

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — After surviving being shot nine times by Pocatello Police, loved ones of 17-year-old Victor Perez are hoping for a miracle.

According to family members, Victor Perez is still in critical condition at the Portneuf Regional Medical Center after undergoing three surgeries, including a leg amputation. They say these surgeries are just the latest in a series of tragedies that started on Saturday evening when the incident with the police first happened.

"He has the brain of a little kid, about five years old," said Ana Vazquez, Victor's aunt. "He is disabled. He can hardly walk. People around here, they can tell you that."

At the time of the incident, family members say Victor was having a behavioral episode and was holding knife, but Vazquez says he can be calmed down.

"We always can control him," she said. "And when the officers came, they didn't even ask what's going on."

Vazquez also expressed frustration that they didn't have a translator available for some of her family members, and she had to provide translation for the department.

"I had to translate for everyone, me a civilian, and I felt I couldn't express my opinions during it all," said Vazquez.

Victor's grandfather was present during the police shooting and said to Local News 8 in via his granddaughter interpreting, that he tried to tell the officers not to shoot.

Pocatello Police have said the incident is continuing to be investigated internally and by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.