POCATELLO, Idaho — The family of Victor Perez, a 17-year-old autistic teen with cerebral palsy who was shot nine times by Pocatello police officers, have told KTVB he was pronounced clinically brain dead by doctors on Friday.

The family said they had decided to take Perez off life support on Saturday.

“They killed one member of my family,” said Ana Vasquez, Perez’s aunt, in a phone call. “They shouldn’t be in uniform. They’re meant to protect, not kill.”

Vasquez expressed frustration over the officers being placed on administrative leave following the April 5 shooting.

“Victor is dying while the officers are at home with their families, having breakfast, lunch, and dinner—while they’re on administrative leave,” Vasquez said.

The family claims Perez, who is non-verbal and does not understand English, was unable to comprehend police commands before officers opened fire. As video of the incident circulated on social media, the teen’s family and community are raising concerns about police training, use of force protocols, and awareness of developmental disabilities.

The incident happened on the evening of Saturday, April 5, when police responded to a 911 call alleging Perez was attempting to stab family members in a backyard and was intoxicated. Family members strongly dispute this characterization, saying the situation was misunderstood and escalated unnecessarily.

Luis Alicea, Perez’s grandfather, told KTVB they had been preparing for a barbecue when Victor approached them with a knife. “That stick over there—I wanted it for cooking,” Alicea said in Spanish. “Then I saw [him] walking toward me with a knife. I didn’t know if he was coming to play or help.”

Alicea emphasized that Victor was not threatening anyone, and said the teen’s sister had brought out a broom attempting to take the knife away.

The Pocatello Police Department defended its actions at an April 7 press conference, stating officers were responding to what they believed was a dangerous threat.

The city of Pocatello and the mayor, Brian Blad, released a statement on Friday, April 11:

“We are saddened to hear the news of Victor Perez’s current condition. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time. We recognize the pain and grief this incident has caused in our community,” said Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad. 

On April 5, 2025, at 5:22 p.m., officers responded to an individual armed with a knife, in the area of North Harrison Avenue. During the encounter, officers used lethal force on the individual. Immediate life-saving measures were initiated by officers on the individual, who was subsequently transported by ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center by the Pocatello Fire Department. That individual was later determined to be Victor Perez.

The criminal, external, and internal investigations regarding the officer-involved shooting are ongoing. The external investigation is being performed by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force. The findings of that investigation will be released at some point in the future.

*The City of Pocatello does not typically release the names of minors. However, as Victor’s name was publicly shared by his family, the City has included it in this press release.”

The family is calling for accountability. There is a GoFundMe set up to help the family with expenses.

On social media, Brad Andres, the man who initially called the police, expressed feeling “partially responsible” and wrote a letter to Idaho lawmakers asking for action and leadership.

“To Whom It May Concern,

My son and I were the ones who called 911 and recorded the video. At the time, we gave what we believed was an accurate description: someone who appeared possibly drunk, on drugs, or suffering from a head injury, carrying a knife, and threatening others. In hindsight, it was a 17-year-old boy with autism involved in a family scuffle. We feel heartbroken over what happened and are trying to channel this emotion into helping Victor and his family—and preventing anything like this from happening again.

To do that, we believe both the video and Victor’s GoFundMe need to be shared publicly. We understand this puts Pocatello and our state in a less than positive national spotlight, but we also believe it is the right thing to do.

This is a time for leadership—to help guide our city and state through this tragedy. We are asking for your help in ensuring a fair investigation, accountability, and justice for Victor and his family. We also need your leadership in helping our community cope with what we’ve all witnessed.

I have contacted several organizations that support families with autistic members, including the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities. I’ve shared the video with them and urged them to ask families to communicate openly with their neighbors and local law enforcement—especially if their loved one might have violent outbursts.

I am also requesting your help with asking police departments across Idaho to review this video closely. I would like to see it used in officer training—to help law enforcement better recognize the signs of autism or mental disability when arriving at scenes like this one.

I’ve always respected and supported law enforcement, and I’ve raised my son, who is also a teenager, to do the same. That’s why he chose to call the police when he saw a neighbor in apparent danger. But after watching this unfold, both of us—and many others—are now struggling with second thoughts about how situations like this are being handled.

That’s why I am calling on you, our leaders, to speak up.

Please address the citizens of Idaho and reassure them: this is not how things should be. Please commit to re-evaluating police training and policies so that no other family has to endure what Victor’s family is going through. This, I believe, is a critical step forward—and the kind of leadership Idaho needs right now.”

And a final request to everyone: As terrible as this was—and still is—let’s not turn on each other. My son has received multiple death threats and has been accused of intentionally bringing the police to cause harm.

While I strongly believe in the need for accountability, demanding the officers’ names and threatening them is not the right way forward.

Let’s stay focused on helping Victor and his family, and doing everything we can to ensure something like this never happens again.”