SAN ANTONIO, TX – A former San Antonio police officer was charged Tuesday with two counts of aggravated assault by a peace officer for shooting and seriously injuring a teenager eating a hamburger in his car in a McDonald’s parking lot.
James Brenand, 25, has been charged in the Oct. 2 shooting death of 17-year-old Eric Cant, according to a police statement. He turned himself in to police Tuesday night and remained in custody, Police Chief William McManus said.
Kantu is unconscious and on life support, his family said Tuesday.
“His condition has not improved,” the family said in a statement issued by their attorney, Brian Powers. “The last two days have been difficult and we expect more difficulties to come, but we remain hopeful.”
The video above is taken from an original report from October 7, 2022.
Powers said it’s an “incredibly difficult time for them.”
Rookie Officer Brenand reported that the vehicle in which Cantu was a passenger had evaded him the previous evening during an attempted traffic stop. Brennand said he suspected the vehicle was stolen.
U body camera footage freed by the police, Brenand opens the car door and orders Kant out. The car backs up, the doors are open, and the officer fires several shots into the car. He continues to shoot as the car drives away.
Investigators quickly determined that the use of deadly force was unjustified Brennand was fired. Charges of aggravated assault and evading arrest were dropped against Kant.
ORIGINAL STORY: Texas officer fired after shooting teenager eating hamburger in McDonald’s parking lot
Brennand is charged with two counts of assault because there was a passenger in the car. The passenger was not injured.
At a news conference Tuesday night, the police chief defended the department’s training and said the failures were down to individual officers.
In a speech on CNN McManus said earlier Tuesday that he expected to face aggravated assault and murder charges in Cantu’s death.
McManus said the video of the Oct. 2 shooting, captured by Brennand’s body camera, was “horrifying.”
“There’s no question that looking at this video, the shooting was not justified,” McManus said.
Officials with the Bexar County police and district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests from The Associated Press. Brennand has no published phone number and could not be reached for comment.
Cantu’s condition, according to a statement from his family, is in stark contrast to what police officials said after the shooting: that Cantu was hospitalized in stable condition.
“We would like to correct any misrepresentations that Eric is in ‘stable condition’ or ‘he will be fine.’ This is not true. Every breath is a struggle for Eric. We ask everyone to continue to pray for our son,” the family said.
Copyright © 2022, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.