Autistic teen shot by police in Idaho dies. Why was he killed?
Victor Perez, 17, had cerebral palsy and was shot by officers in his own backyard. The community is demanding answers while the events are investigated.
Pocatello, Idaho. The Pocatello community is in shock following the death of Victor Perez, a 17-year-old autistic boy with cerebral palsy, who was shot by local police in his backyard on April 6. Although he was taken alive to the hospital, doctors were forced to amputate his leg, and days later, he was taken off life support.
The news of his death on April 12 sparked protests and vigils in his memory. Family members, neighbors, and civil rights advocates are questioning the police's actions and demanding justice for Victor, whose case has gone viral on social media.
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Community grief and protests for Victor
Hundreds of people gathered outside Portneuf Medical Center to express their support for the Perez family before Victor's death. Later, protesters gathered outside the Pocatello Police Department to demand answers and a change in police protocols.
“This is a grassroots event” said Sunny Nelson, one of the protest organizers. “There are a lot of outraged people who feel the need to speak out” The vigil also attracted families with neurodivergent children, like Serenity Jones Perry, who attended with her mother. “I wanted to show the family that I care. If that happened to one of my family members, I would be devastated” she said.
The community has expressed concern about officers’ lack of training in situations involving people with mental disabilities. Victor’s death has sparked a debate about the use of force and the need for more compassionate approaches from law enforcement.
Authorities respond: “The risk was immediate”
The Pocatello Police Department released audio of the 911 call that alerted them to an individual “with a kitchen knife” in a backyard, apparently intoxicated. Video of the incident shows Victor on the ground holding a knife while a woman tried to disarm him with a stick, before officers arrived.
Four officers approached from outside the yard. When the young man began to stand up with the knife in his hand, the officers yelled, "Drop the knife!" and, seeing him approach the fence separating them, fired multiple shots. Victor was reportedly hit by nine gunshots.
Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei defended his officers' actions, asserting that Perez did not obey orders to drop the knife. “In situations like this, officers must make split-second decisions. There were people in close proximity to the armed individual. The risk was immediate,” he stated at a press conference.
Schei also argued that the videos circulated on social media do not capture the full context of the incident and that a more thorough investigation is needed to clarify the facts.