San Antonio cop who shot teen eating hamburger charged with attempted murder
A San Antonio police officer who shot and seriously wounded a teenager eating a hamburger at McDonald’s was charged Thursday with attempted murder.
James Brennand, 28, opened fire on 17-year-old Erik Cantu while the teen was eating the burger in a car in a McDonald’s parking lot on Oct. 2.
Brennand had previously been charged with two counts of aggravated assault for shooting at Cantu and passenger Emily Proulx.
Then, on Thursday, a grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Brennand: one count of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant, which carries a maximum life sentence.
“The grand jury’s decision to indict on an attempted murder charge and two counts of aggravated assault is a significant step toward justice –– but there is still a long road ahead,” Cantu family attorney Ben Crump said in a statement.
Brennand was called to the McDonald’s for an unrelated disturbance when he spotted Cantu’s car. Police claimed the same car evaded Brennand a day earlier during a traffic stop.
Brennand walked up to the car, opened the driver’s door and ordered Cantu to get out, body-camera video shows. Cantu was holding a burger in his hand.
The teenager put the car in reverse. Brennand backed away and then fired multiple shots into the vehicle. As Cantu put the car in drive and left the McDonald’s, Brennand fired more shots at the vehicle.
Cantu was hospitalized for nearly two months; he was finally released on Nov. 23. Brennand, a rookie who’d been on the force for seven months, was fired days after the shooting.
