Family: Teenage shooting victim out of surgery
UPDATE:
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - According to the 17-year-old shooting victim's family, Victor Perez is out of surgery as of 2:49 PM on April 7.
This marks the third surgery the teen has undergone since the officer-involved shooting on Saturday, April 5, one of which required the doctors to amputate Perez's left leg.
UPDATE:
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - An officer-involved shooting in Pocatello has ignited a firestorm of controversy, as people claim police brutality after a video surfaced online showing police shooting a teenager with a knife only seconds after they arrived on the scene.
The family of the 17-year-old autistic shooting victim, Victor Perez, has told Local News 8 that he was shot nine times. The teen is currently being treated at the Portneuf Medical Center, where the family says he is in critical condition.
As of 10 AM on April 7, the family said he is going into surgery again after having his left leg amputated over the weekend as a result of his injuries.
They say he is fighting for his life, but the teen shooting victim is "not doing well."
"We weren't trying to bring a firing squad down to Harrison Street"
According to the Pocatello Police, the officers were responding to a physical disturbance at a home near the 700 block of N. Harrison Street. Pocatello PD had received a report of two males, one of whom appeared intoxicated and in possession of a knife, and a female involved in a physical altercation.
Officers arrived on the scene at 5:25 PM, according to police reports. According to police reports, “the officers were involved in a shooting with the male suspect who was armed with a knife.”
A video filmed by Brad Andres, which has circulated on social media in the days since the incident, shows the 17-year-old autistic teenager holding a knife.
His family says Perez had behavioral incidents because of his autism as well as mental and physical disabilities.
Andres, who shot this video, said he called the police in hopes of helping the family deescalate the situation. However, he says that is not what happened when police arrived on the scene.
"He (Victor) was having a really bad day with mental issues, but he wasn't chasing anybody, and everybody could easily get out of the reach of his knife," said Brad Andres, who shot the initial video. "So this wasn't a really dangerous situation.
"The police were more called to come in and help the family deescalate and get it under control. This is the biggest tragedy. I witnessed it, and it was really tough on me and my son to watch that. I just want to send out my deepest sympathies to the family, and we were trying to help you. We weren't trying to bring a firing squad down to Harrison Street," said Andres.
Protestors gather outside Pocatello Police Department
The incident caught on camera has sparked outrage throughout the online and Pocatello communities.
Protestors gathered Sunday afternoon outside the Pocatello Police Department to voice their support for Perez, the teenage shooting victim, and their indignation at the officer's response to the situation.
"They showed up, and within 30 seconds, opened fire on this child from the other side of a fence," said protestor Dylan Harrison. "We're all out here demanding that justice be served and that that child get the justice he deserves, that those officers involved are held accountable, more protests are being planned to hold police accountable."
The incident is under investigation by the East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.
Local News 8 has reached out to the Pocatello Police Department, who've said they will have no further response until the investigation has concluded.
“We respectfully ask for the public’s patience as the investigation unfolds. In the meantime, we advise individuals to avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing. Further details will be provided as they become available,” writes the Pocatello Police Department in a press release.
Local News 8 will continue to update and follow up with this story in the coming days.
ORIGINAL:
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - Protestors are rallying outside the Pocatello Police Department building in support of a 17-year-old autistic teen with physical disabilities who was shot by police responding to a local domestic incident. According to the family, the teen was shot nine times.
The teen is currently being treated at the Portneuf Medical Center, and Local News 8 has confirmed with the teen's family that he is in critical condition. His family says the 17-year-old had to have his leg amputated as a result of his injuries.
The Pocatello Police are reporting that the shooting victim was armed with a knife.
As of 3:30 PM, April 6, over two dozen people have gathered to protest the shooting.
According to the Pocatello Police, the officers were responding to a physical disturbance at a home near the 700 block of N. Harrison Street. Pocatello PD had received a report of two males, one of which was intoxicated and in possession of a knife, and a female involved in a physical altercation.
Officers arrived on the scene at 5:25 PM, according to police reports. According to police reports, “the officers were involved in a shooting with the male suspect who was armed with a knife.”
A video circulating on social media captures the arrival of the officers on the scene and the subsequent shooting, but it is unclear if the 17-year-old is armed.
Pocatello PD reports that its officers immediately began life-saving measures. A second social media post circulating on the Facebook page Life in Pocatello captured the dramatic scene.
The 17-year-old shooting victim was subsequently transported by ambulance to the Portneuf Medical Center by the Pocatello Fire Department
The incident is under investigation by the East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.
“We respectfully ask for the public’s patience as the investigation unfolds. In the meantime, we advise individuals to avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing. Further details will be provided as they become available,” writes the Pocatello Police Department in a press release.
