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A Texas police officer who shot and wounded a teenager who was eating a hamburger in his car has been fired, police said.
San Antonio police officer James Brennand was fired after the Oct. 2 shooting of 17-year-old Eric Cantu in a fast food restaurant parking lot, police training commander Alyssa Campos said in a video statement released Wednesday.
Campos said he reacted to an unrelated disturbance at the fast food restaurant when Brennand saw Cantu in the car, which Campos said had avoided him a day earlier.
Texas prosecutors said in a statement Friday that he did not see enough evidence to charge the teen. “While the shooting of an unarmed teenager by then-San Antonio police officers on Sunday is still under investigation, the facts and evidence we have received to date lead us to decline to further investigate Eric Cantu’s allegations,” Bexar County Local Prosecutor Joe Gonzalez said.
Texas prosecutors said in a statement Friday that he did not see enough evidence to charge the teen. (Associated Press)
Campos said Brennand, who had served in the police force for less than a year, violated his training and police procedures after approaching the car. “The officer suddenly opened the driver’s door and ordered the driver to get out” before the backup officer Brennand requested arrived, Campos said.
In the officer’s body camera video, Cantu looks at Brennand with the hamburger before backing away, hitting the officer who opened the door. Brennan then fired several times, the doors closed and Cantu drove away. He was shot and stopped nearby where police found him and an uninjured passenger.
“I cannot defend what that officer did that night,” Police Chief William McManus told WOAI-TV. “I think what happened, there was some contact initially, but that doesn’t justify the shooting. “Cantu was hospitalized in stable condition and was initially charged with evading police and aggravated assault. District Attorney Gonzalez said no decision had been made on whether to charge Brennand until the results of the police investigation into the shooting.
“As we do with all police shootings that result in death or serious injury, we will refer the case to a grand jury. We cannot comment further on this matter until then,” Gonzalez said. Police and Cantu’s attorney did not immediately return calls for comment on Friday.
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