LOS ANGELES – The former San Antonio, Texas police officer who shot an unarmed Latino minor while in his car last October has been charged with one count of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault, prosecutors said. of Bexar County, Joe Gonzales.
A grand jury indicted former police officer James Brennand, 039 years, with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant and one count of attempted murder for shooting Eric Cantú, 28 years old, on the 2nd of October.
The minor was eating with a friend inside a vehicle in a restaurant parking lot when Brennand saw the vehicle and called for backup because he believed the car had been stolen.
Brennand’s body camera captured when the police officer opened the vehicle door and tried to get Cantu out but couldn’t get it. Because the young man reversed with the door open, and hit the police officer, who shot into the car.
Brennad also shot several times at the moving car. Cantú managed to take the vehicle a few meters when he stopped due to his injuries. The young man was on life support for several weeks. The friend who accompanied him was unharmed.
The first count of aggravated assault against Brennand is for shooting Cantú, and the second count of aggravated assault is for shooting the friend who accompanied the minor in the vehicle.
The grand jury also considered that Brennand allegedly tried to cause Cantú’s death, for which it charged him with attempted murder.
Prosecutor Gonzales said at a press conference Thursday night that he will do “everything possible to see justice done for Erik and the rest of his family”.
After the shooting Brennand, who was on probation at the San Antonio Police Department, was fired after procedural errors were detected.