Victor Perez, a 17-year-old autistic teen with cerebral palsy, was shot nine times by police in his backyard in Pocatello, Idaho. The incident, captured on body and security camera footage, showed officers opening fire without attempting to de-escalate the situation. Perez died days later after being taken off life support. The community rallied in support of Perez, questioning why de-escalation techniques were not used. The police chief expressed regret over the impact of the shooting and offered condolences to the Perez family.
The video footage showed an altercation between Perez and another individual that preceded the police’s arrival. Perez was seen holding a knife, prompting officers to shoot him within seconds of arriving at the scene. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, in response to the incident, highlighted the dangers faced by disabled individuals in police encounters and called for systemic changes to address police violence. They advocated for crisis intervention teams, greater police accountability, and improved support for mental health programs to prevent similar incidents in the future. The group emphasized the need to change policing culture and policies around the use of force to prioritize de-escalation and non-lethal approaches. The investigation into Perez’s shooting remains ongoing.
