The shooting of 17-year-old Perez, who was autistic and nonspeaking, has now brought that scrutiny front and center. That heartbreaking crash occurred on April 5 at Pocatello, Idaho’s more… This devastating news, locally known as… In what is now an inconspicuous residential yard in Pocatello—a city in southeastern Idaho—police shot Perez nine times. On top of all that, he lived with cerebral palsy. The case has spotlighted police policy and practices, especially in interactions with people with disabilities.
The traumatic event started when police arrived at Perez’s location and asked the young man to drop the knife he was carrying. Even after obeying by falling to the ground after being shot, the knife was still in his hand. An officer retrieved the knife shortly thereafter. After the shooting, Perez was taken to a local hospital but died from his injuries several days later.
Details of the Incident
Witnesses said they had first seen Perez standing behind a chain-link fence before the shooting. The standoff began 15 minutes before the police showed up. The Pocatello Police Department made body and security camera footage of the incident public this week. The release footage inserted edited text slides that suggested Perez was “charging” at officers with a knife right before they shot him.
In a statement responding to Perez’s death, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network captured the urgency of the moment for people like Perez. In response, the parents advocated for systemic changes in how police engage with autistic people, particularly those who might be nonspeaking.
“We must address police violence through multiple systemic changes,” – Autistic Self Advocacy Network
The city of Pocatello subsequently released recordings of 911 calls from residents who witnessed the incident. There has been a real outcry about the reaction of law enforcement. In their release, city officials included a text slide that said dispatch never got information from the scene that could have indicated to Perez her medical emergency. They further stated that officers did not know whether he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Public Response and Community Impact
The death of Perez has understandably caused community members and advocacy groups to erupt in outrage. Now, they are continuing to hold the Pocatello Police Department accountable. Mayor Brian Blad offered his sincere condolences to the Perez family. He was deeply moved, as we all have been, by the emotional toll the shooting was taking on witnesses.
“I can only imagine the people that witnessed this event and what they must be going through and how difficult it may be for them,” – Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad
Blad understood that healing within the community would require a long process. I understand that our community has a long way to go in terms of recovery. I don’t know if we can ever recover from this completely.
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network strongly criticized the shooting, saying that police frequently mistake atypical behavior for aggressive intent. They implored that without these viewpoints lives will continue to be lost tragically.
“Too often, police see any person acting unusually as a danger to them and the public,” – Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Calls for Change
In light of this tragic event, advocacy groups are urging comprehensive reform in policing practices, particularly regarding interactions with individuals with disabilities. They charge that policing policies today, specifically around use of force, need to be reexamined to protect against this from happening again in the future.
“And we must change the culture of policing and policies around use of force so that they no longer encourage police to shoot first and ask questions later,” – Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad on the shooting investigations still being conducted. He promised the American people that information would be released in a way that would not jeopardize the investigations.
“The information we are releasing today will not interfere or compromise the investigations,” – Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad
The community is just beginning to process the impact of this tragic loss. More than a month later, millions of Americans are still asking how to ensure that this kind of tragedy never happens again. Now, the family of Perez and their advocates are speaking out. Their powerful voices call for more awareness and understanding of autism and other disabilities in law enforcement or police work.
Leave a Reply