Teen shot by police officer at McDonald’s remains on life support

Erik Cantu, the 17-year-old shot by a police officer in a McDonald’s parking lot in San Antonio, Texas, remains on life support with more surgeries scheduled, his family said. 

Body camera video shows police officer James Brennand walking toward a parked car on Oct. 2. The officer opens the driver side door and orders Cantu out of the vehicle. Cantu looks surprised and reverses the car. 

Roughly five seconds after opening the door, the officer fires five rounds into the car. He then shoots five more times as the car drives away. 

Brennand, who was with the San Antonio Police Department for less than a year, has been fired over the incident. Once the police investigation is completed, the case will be handed over to the district attorney’s civil rights division before a grand jury decides if charges will be filed. 

“Nothing that that officer did that night were in accordance with our training or our policies,” said police chief William McManus. 

Brennand was called to the McDonald’s for an unrelated disturbance. He told investigators that the car looked like one that had evaded him the day before. 

Cantu’s friend, George Ramos, said he was shocked by the body camera video.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking,” Ramos said. “When I saw that video, it just made me break down.” 

While Cantu fights for his life, his friends and family are praying. 

“He’s inspired me so much to be a better person,” Ramos said. “He’s also positive and motivated and ambitious and happy. To see him laying there helpless, it’s just so much emotions. I’m just trying to be as strong as I possibly can.”