The autistic nonverbal teenager who was repeatedly shot by Idaho police from the other side of the chain link fence while he was holding a knife, died Saturday after being excluded from life support, his family said.
Victor Perez, 17, also suffered from cerebral palsy, had been in coma since the April 5th shooting. Friday's test showed he had no brain activity.
He underwent several surgeries, and the doctor removed nine bullets and ablated his leg.
Police in the city of Pocatello in southeastern Idaho responded to a 911 call that an apparently drunk man with a knife was chasing someone in his yard.
It turns out to be Perez. Perez was not drunk, but he walked on a stroll that was shifted due to his disability, Vasquez said.
His family was about to leave his big knife from him.
Videos filmed by neighbors showed Perez lying in the yard as four officers arrived and rushed to the fence at the edge of the garden.
They immediately ordered Perez to drop the knife, but instead he stood and began to stumble towards them.
Officers fired within about 12 seconds of getting out of the police car and made no obvious efforts to escalate the situation.
“Everyone was trying to tell the police, no, no,” Vazquez said. “These four officers didn't bother. They didn't ask what was going on or what the situation was.”
“How does he jump the fence when he can barely walk?” she said.
The shootings infuriated Perez's family and Pocatello residents, with about 200 people attending an all-night stay where he was treated outside the Pocatello Hospital on Saturday morning.
Another crowd gathered Saturday afternoon outside the Pocatello City Hall building, which houses the police station.
Police snipers were stationed on nearby rooftops during the protest, but no violence was reported.
Many The protesters held the signs There were phrases like “To do, PPD” and “Victor's Justice,” and the passing cars were approved.
A police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.
“These police have ruined our family,” Vasquez said Saturday shortly after Perez's death. “There's no way to explain the pain we're feeling right now. It seems like our minds are a bit empty – it's not full anymore.”
Officers whose names have not been released were placed on administrative leave.
Bannock County Prosecutor Ian Johnson said the decision on whether to be charged against them will come after an independent investigation by the Idaho Critical Incident Team.
“Once that investigation is completed, a report will be submitted for review,” he said. “In a continuing effort to ensure independent and objective consideration, the report said that it will be reviewed by agencies outside of Bannock County.”
Pocatello Mayor Brian Brad said in a statement Friday that officials' thoughts and prayers will be with them after the family announced Perez had no brain activity.
“We are aware of the pain and sadness this incident has caused in our community,” Brad said.
Brad said Thursday that the city “deserves and is working on this issue with appropriate respect for the gravity of the situation.”
“With the ongoing crimes, external and internal investigations involving officers, we are unable to answer questions due to concerns that we may interfere or compromise in the investigation,” he said.
Perez loves professional wrestling, eating fries and taking walks while holding his mother's hand, Vasquez said.
He will always notice when Vasquez painted her favorite color blue on his nails, or when she showed his admiration by touching his hair, she said.
“I'm going to miss him when he got his strange mood and I had him in the bed,” she said. “He doesn't want to sleep, he'll wake up again and I'll have to put him back in bed. I'll promise him.
Vazquez said she didn't know what the next thing she had in her family. Now she said, they need time to rest.
