Disabled teenager dies after being shot by US police

The family of the American teenage boy with autism, who was shot by police in Idaho on April 5, announced that he passed away in the hospital on Saturday, April 12.

Victor Perez, 17, who also had cerebral palsy, had been in a coma since the April 5 shooting, and tests Friday showed that he had no brain activity, his aunt, Ana Vazquez, told The Associated Press. He had undergone several surgeries, with doctors removing nine bullets and amputating his leg.

The shooting of the teenager occurred after someone called the police in Pocatello, southwestern Idaho, reporting that a teenage boy, apparently after consuming alcoholic beverages, was walking in the yard of a house with a knife.

Police in the southwest Idaho city of Pocatello responded to a 911 call reporting that an apparently intoxicated man with a knife was chasing someone in a yard. It turned out to be Perez, who was not intoxicated but walked with a staggered gait due to his disabilities, Vazquez said. His family members had been trying to get the large kitchen knife away from him.

Video taken by a neighbor showed that Perez was lying in the yard after falling over when four officers arrived and rushed to the fence at the edge of the yard. They immediately ordered Perez to drop the knife, but instead he stood and began stumbling toward them.

Officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of getting out of their patrol cars and made no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation.

“Everybody was trying to tell the police, no, no,” Vazquez said. “Those four officers didn’t care. They didn’t ask what was happening, what was the situation.”

“How’s he going to jump the fence when he can barely walk?” she said.

The officers involved, whose identities have not been disclosed, have been placed on administrative leave.

The prosecutor's office stated that a decision on whether to press charges against these officers will be made after an independent investigation.

It was later determined that the reason for the teenager's unsteady gait was due to his physical disabilities, not intoxication or aggression.

Social media posts and news reports highlight widespread criticism of the police response, with some calling the headline descriptions "ableist" and demanding respect for Victor's full identity and condition. A GoFundMe campaign has raised funds to support the family, and a candlelight vigil was held in Pocatello to honor Victor.

This tragic event has raised questions about police training, the use of force, and the handling of individuals with disabilities, with many arguing that the situation could have been managed differently to avoid such a fatal outcome.