POCATELLO, Idaho — Authorities released body camera footage Thursday showing Pocatello police officers fatally shooting 17-year-old Victor Perez, an autistic and nonverbal teen with cerebral palsy, within seconds of arriving at his home on April 5.
The video shows officers shouting commands and firing through a chain link fence. He was holding a knife and stepped toward them before being shot. A fourth officer fired a bean-bag round.
Perez died a week later after being removed from life support. His family intends to file a federal wrongful death lawsuit.
Officials say officers were unaware of Perez’s disabilities. Community members and experts have criticized the police response, noting the lack of space, communication, and less-lethal options used before opening fire. The East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is investigating.
