The San Antonio cop who fired rounds at a 17-year-old who was eating a cheeseburger inside his car has been fired and arrested.
James Brennand, formerly of the San Antonio Police Department, was arrested and charged with assault after turning himself in on Tuesday, CBS News reports
. The charges are a result of Brennand shooting and critically wounding Erik Cantu, 17, who was eating in his car in a McDonald’s parking lot on October 2.Shocking bodycam footage shows Brennand walking toward a parked car sitting in the parking lot. He then opens the driver-side door and ordered Cantu to get out of the car.
Cantu, holding a hamburger, appeared shocked and confused. Once the teen reversed the car, the open door struck Brennand. About five seconds after opening the car door, Brennand fired five rounds into the car and an additional five shots as the car drove away.
Brennand was fired two days after the shooting, NBC News reports
. Cantu was shot multiple times and remains unconscious on life support, a family attorney confirmed.“We have no comment to the former officer’s arrest at this time. Our main priority is Erik’s recovery,” the family said in a statement.
“Erik is still on
life-support and is non-responsive but his oxygen levels are showing an improvement. We are being patient and optimistic that better health is coming. Please continue to keep Erik in your thoughts and prayers.”Police training commander Alyssa Campos called out Brennand for violating his training and police procedures.
“The officer abruptly opened the driver’s door and ordered the driver out of the car” before the arrival of backup officers that Brennand had requested, Campos said.
“Nothing that officer did that night were in accordance with our training or our policies,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said on Monday.
On Tuesday, McManus followed up saying the shooting was “unjustified, both administratively and criminally.”
Brennand now faces two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant. McManus confirmed the two counts are for the two people inside the car when he fired the shots.