SAN ANTONIO – The teenager who was shot by a San Antonio police officer in October was hospitalized again, according to the family’s GoFundMe page.
An update from Saturday states that Erik Cantu Jr. was back in the hospital, but it’s unclear if he’s still there.
KSAT reached out to family members but has not yet heard back with an update.
“Unfortunately, another 3 days back in the hospital from complications to his stomach/digestive track,” the update states. “Yet again we make our way back home with our hearts in our hand knowing this is not the end, only the beginning to a whole new life.”
Cantu Jr., 17, sustained injuries to his stomach, diaphragm, lungs, liver, bicep and forearm after he was shot by SAPD officer Brennand.
He was on life support for a number of weeks following the shooting and his parents previously revealed that Cantu Jr. had a tracheotomy.
Cantu Jr.’s mother Victoria Casarez previously stated that her son still has a bullet lodged near his heart and said it would do more harm than good to remove it. It’s unclear if that’s still the case.
Eric Cantu, the teen’s father, has said there will be “weeks and months and years of rehab but he’s proving he can do it.”
In the aftermath of the shooting, SAPD released graphic body camera footage of the incident.
Officials with the city of San Antonio have also since attempted to withhold the release of public information related to the case.
A Bexar County grand jury indicted Brennand last week. He’s charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant and one count of attempted murder.
James Brennand, 27, charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant (KSAT)
District Attorney Joe Gonzales said the first count of aggravated assault is for shooting Cantu Jr. and the second is for shooting at or in the direction of another victim in Cantu Jr.’s vehicle. The attempted murder count is for Brennand allegedly trying to cause Cantu’s death, according to a previous KSAT report.
Aggravated assault is a first-degree felony with a punishment between five years and life in prison. Attempted murder is a second-degree felony with a punishment between two years and 20 years in prison.
Brennand, an SAPD probationary officer who had been on the force for about seven months, was fired days after the shooting for violating departmental tactics and procedures.
Brennand did not announce himself as an officer before opening the door of Cantu Jr.’s vehicle in a McDonald’s parking lot on Oct. 2, body-worn camera footage shows. Brennand, who suspected that the car was stolen and called for cover, opened the car door and ordered Cantu Jr. to “get out of the car” before attempting to physically remove the teenager from the vehicle.
Cantu Jr. can be seen putting the vehicle in reverse when the open car door allegedly hit Brennand, who then fired shots into the car with Cantu Jr. and a 17-year-old female passenger still inside. He fired more shots into the back of the vehicle as Cantu Jr. put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot.
The passenger has since been identified as Emily Proulx.
Cantu Jr. and Proulx have both retained famed attorney Ben Crump as a precursor to a civil lawsuit that’s expected to be filed in the case.
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