San Antonio officer James Brenand has been fired after body camera footage showed him shooting and injuring 17-year-old Eric Canta while he was in a car eating a hamburger in a parking lot McDonald’s.
In accordance with NBC News, the police department announced that Brenand had been fired after leaving Canta in the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Kantu’s condition remained unknown as of Friday morning. Police said Brenand arrived at the fast food restaurant on Blanco Road around 10:45 p.m. Sunday to make a call.
Captain Alyssa Campos, Commander of the Training Division, said:
“As the officer attempted to gather information from witnesses, he observed a vehicle that had been evading him the day before when the officer attempted to pull over because the registered license plate did not match the actual vehicle.”
She went on to explain that the vehicle Cantu was driving that night had nothing to do with the call Brenand answered.
Brennand reportedly believed the car Cantu was driving was stolen and called for backup. However, he got to the car before his double arrived. Dashcam footage shows Brenand opening the driver’s side door as Cantu ate a hamburger. He then ordered Kant out of the car. As the car goes into reverse, Brennand fires several shots at the car as it drives away.
VIDEO: Body camera video shows San Antonio Police Officer James Brenand firing multiple shots at a 17-year-old suspect who drove off while being asked to exit his vehicle in a McDonald’s parking lot on the north side Sunday night.
DETAILS: https://t.co/wnVVpFK4pt pic.twitter.com/51NHIHc1mC— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) October 5, 2022
NBC News reports that a 17-year-old female passenger was in the car from Kantu. The car was found a block away from the scene, the passenger was not injured.
In accordance with CNN, Cantu were charged with evading arrest in a motor vehicle and assaulting an officer, as the officer claimed he was hit by the same door he forced open before Cantu put the car in reverse. However, Cantu’s defense attorney, Brian Powers, shared that the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday that prosecutors will not be filing charges against Cantu.
Brennand was still on probation, which is mandatory for officers who graduated from the police academy less than a year ago. He worked for seven months before being fired. It is not known if he will be charged with a crime.
This incident is still under investigation.
TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94