Former San Antonio Cop Charged After Shooting Teen Eating Hamburger in Parking Lot; Teen On Life Support

The officer who shot a teenager in a McDonald’s parking lot has been arrested for the shocking incident. 

Former San Antonio Police Department officer James Brennand turned himself in on Tuesday and bonded out shortly after. He was fired last week for shooting 17-year-old Erik Cantu as the teen sat in his car at the fast food restaurant with a 17-year-old friend on October 2nd. Neither Cantu nor his friend posed a threat to Brennand, who was responding to an unrelated disturbance call at the McDonald’s around 10:45 p.m. When the officer arrived, he gathered information from witnesses, but his attention turned to the vehicle, driven by Cantu, that allegedly evaded him earlier in the day. Cantu nor the vehicle were the subjects of the disturbance call. The car also belonged to Cantu.

Brennand’s bodycam footage showed him opening the car door and finding Cantu eating a cheeseburger. The teen put the car in reverse and attempted to leave the scene. That is when Brennand opened fire on the young man, shooting ten rounds, several of which struck Cantu. The passenger was not injured. Brennand was fired from the police department two days later, with Chief William McManus calling the officers actions “indefensible.” He’d only been on the force for seven months.

Brennand has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant. He is due back in court on November 23rd. Cantu remains on life support with “significant brain damage,” according to a cousin who reported on his condition. His family has launched a GoFundMe to raise money for his mounting medical expenses. 

“There is no improvement in his condition,” the family said in a statement, according to AP News. “The last two days have been difficult, and we expect more difficulty ahead, but we remain hopeful.”