SAN ANTONIO — The family of the teenager who was shot by a San Antonio police officer in a fast-food restaurant parking lot has released a statement, sent to KENS 5 by their lawyer.
Brian Powers is representing 17-year-old Erik Cantu after now-former SAPD officer James Brennand fired five shots into his car at close range. This happened earlier this month near the McDonald's at Blanco Road and West Avenue.
Video shows the officer opened the driver's side door and ordered the teen out of the car. The car backed up, and within seconds, the officer shot at Cantu.
The statement reads as following:
“Erik and our family would like to thank all of our family, friends, the great city of San Antonio and everyone around the world that has sent their heartfelt prayers and blessings.
We would like to give a brief health update. Erik is still in critical condition and is being monitored closely. Surgeries were performed to repair injures to a few major organs as a result of the penetration of multiple bullets. Erik is currently on a life support system that is keeping his lungs operating and remains on a vast amount of sedatives to hopefully ease the discomfort and pain. He has a great medical staff that has been working diligently around the clock to provide him great care. Erik is struggling and we know that recovery will not be easy for him. Every moment is critical and the uncertainly is quite painful. We ask that everyone please keep Erik in your thoughts and prayers.”
After the incident, KENS 5 asked SAPD Chief William McManus whether the incident will prompt a closer look at training new officers.
"Our training is sound. There's nothing that we need to change that would fix what happened. That was an individual officer's actions, his own discretion," McManus said. "And again, there's nothing that I can say that could justify what happened."
The officer's employment with the San Antonio Police Department has been terminated.