An officer-involved shooting of a teenager in Idaho has the community reeling. Officers from the Pocatello Police Department responded to a call at a home about 5:20 p.m. April 5, 2025, regarding a domestic disturbance. A concerned caller called 911 and reported what appeared to be an intoxicated male threatening another adult in the backyard. When officers arrived, they found Victor Perez, a 17-year-old who has physical and mental disabilities, with a knife. What transpired next is nothing short of shocking.
Per KIFI, Brad Andres took video of the moment police arrived. Officers began yelling at Perez to drop the knife. When the teenager refused to comply and moved toward officers with the knife in hand, they opened fire. According to NBC News, officers shot Perez nine times, leaving him with devastating injuries.
His aunt, Ana Vazquez, told KIFI that Perez speaks limited English and does not have cognitive abilities typical of boys his age.
“He has the brain of a little kid, about five years old,” Ana Vazquez said. “He is disabled. He can hardly walk. People around here, they can tell you that.”
Vazquez added that Perez has behavioral issues, but family members can usually calm him down. “We always can control him,” she said. “And when the officers came, they didn’t even ask what’s going on.”
Vazquez added that she had to act as an interpreter for police as they did not send anyone to the scene to translate.
“I had to translate for everyone, me a civilian, and I felt I couldn’t express my opinions during it all,” she said.
The family told KIFI that Perez remains in critical condition and has undergone multiple surgeries, including having a leg amputated.
Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei played the 911 call during a media conference on April 7. The caller told the dispatcher the suspect had a knife and appeared “intoxicated.” He also confirmed the people involved in the incident were not “speaking English.”
After playing the call, Schei told the media that Perez advanced toward officers with a weapon in hand. When he did not heed their demands to drop the knife, officers fired until the teenager fell to the ground. Police then began “life-saving measures.”
“We know this incident has deeply affected the community. We are also aware of the video circulating online, which shows only one angle. The full picture requires careful review of all facts and evidence,” he said during the news conference.
Many criticized police for their response, including in comments below the media conference posted on Facebook.
One person wrote, “Not a single apology? Just thoughts and prayers? Take some accountability Pocatello Police Department! Admit your guilt!”
Someone else agreed, commenting, “They deserve to pay for the crime they committed. Those “police” officers need to be punished. They were NOT in danger. Hold them accountable!”
The family created a GoFundMe account to aid with medical expenses. A message on the fundraiser reads, “Victor is currently in critical condition at the hospital, and his leg has already been amputated. Doctors have advised his family to prepare for the worst.” They’ve raised more than $4,000 thus far.
