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Victor Perez, a 17-year-old disabled teen, was shot and killed by police on April 5. | Ana Vasquez Facebook
POCATELLO — Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador has agreed to review the investigative findings of the police killing of 17-year-old disabled teen Victor Perez.
According to a news release from the Attorney General’s office, Ian Johnson, the Bannock County prosecuting attorney, requested the review.
“As with all such matters, the Office of the Attorney General will conduct a thorough and impartial review once the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Taskforce completes its investigation,” said Attorney General Labrador in the release. “Given the seriousness of the matter and the ongoing investigation, our office will not be making further public comment at this time.”
EastIdahoNews.com will release more details about the investigation when they become available.
Funeral service
Perez’s funeral is scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday at Cornelison Funeral Home at 431 North 15th Avenue in Pocatello.
According to a Facebook post by Perez’s aunt Ana Vazquez, the public is welcome.
The shooting
Multiple Pocatello police officers shot Perez, who had cerebral palsy and a mental handicap, at least nine times on the evening of April 5, on the 700 block of North Harrison Avenue, after reports that an intoxicated man was wielding a knife in a yard near two people.
The video of the incident shows Perez lying on the ground outside of a home in a yard. He appears to be holding a knife and is near a woman who is trying to get the item from Perez’s hands and repeatedly pushes him down to the ground.
Police arrived at 5:25 p.m., according to a police news release, and four officers rushed out of their vehicles with guns drawn.
The video shows officers yelling at Perez and telling him to drop his weapon. The officers were in front of a chain link fence, not in the yard, where Perez was. Perez appears to stand up and moves toward the officers. The officers then fired multiple shots.
A video of the shooting circulated widely on social media, even being picked up by national news stations.
After being declared clinically brain-dead at Portneuf Medical Center, Perez was taken off life support at around 10 a.m. on Saturday after a week-long struggle for survival.
A GoFundMe was started for the family while Perez was in the hospital, and as of Tuesday morning, it has reached over $43,000.
Perez had cerebral palsy and a mental handicap. | Ana Vasquez Facebook
Our attorneys tell us we need to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.
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