Erik Cantu's heartbroken parents reveal bullet is lodged near his heart after teen was shot multiple times by cop
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: An innocent teenager from Texas is still in critical condition, nearly three weeks after being shot by a now-retired police officer who approached the unarmed teenager while he was eating a hamburger in his car. The teen is still fighting for survival with a bullet lodged next to his heart, the boy's family revealed.
On October 2, 2022, San Antonio Police Officer James Brennand shot Erik Cantu, 17, multiple times after mistakenly believing the teen had eluded him the day before. Cantu's parents reportedly said that he is fighting for his life while being on life support in the hospital.
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According to the New York Post, Cantu's mother Victoria Casarez said that four bullets had been recovered from his body, but a fifth cannot be removed. "That is still lodged near his heart," she said, adding, "They're unable to get that out right now. It would do more harm than good." Casarez said the bullets also pierced his lungs, diaphragm, stomach, bicep, and liver.
Cantu's father, Erik Sr, made a gun gesture as he said, "Every minute of him waking up, [he] goes from what we think is a peaceful sleep to hallucinations and raising his hands, and trying to press the pedals to the car and pushing gun symbols."
The San Antonio Police Department fired the officer who shot Cantu after Chief William McManus denounced his actions and referred to the video as "horrific." He reportedly said, "There is no doubt in anybody's mind looking at that video that the shooting is not justified."
The teen's car, which ex-cop Brennand thought had evaded him the day before, was reportedly in the parking lot when he first arrived in response to an unrelated disturbance, according to police training commander Alyssa Campos.
When the 17-year-old abruptly opened the driver's door before backup officers arrived, the rookie officer went against training and police protocol and ordered the teen to come out of the car, according to Campos. Before the police discovered them, Erik and an unharmed passenger stopped nearby.
Brennand has been accused of two counts of violently assaulting a public official. The less-than-a-year-old rookie police officer turned himself in but was freed on bail the following day. His next court hearing has been scheduled on November 23, 2022.
According to the New York Post, the teen's family also claimed the former officer falsely claimed that the car the teen was in was stolen. They added that the car belonged to the family. His father said, "He was profiled; we're told the officer didn't get the best look at him, but that he said [Cantu] was a Hispanic with a bowled haircut."
According to Crump, Brennand "thought he had the right to just eviscerate the Constitution" and racially profiled the boy.