Autistic teen with cerebral palsy shot repeatedly by Idaho police dies after being taken off life support

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

This Sunday, Victor Perez, an autistic teenager with cerebral palsy who had been shot repeatedly by Pocatello, Idaho police, died after being taken off life support. He was 17 years old. His aunt, Ana Vazquez, confirmed his death.

The decision was made after Perez was declared clinically brain dead on Friday when tests revealed zero brain activity. He had been in a coma since April 5.

Four police officers shot Perez nine times from the opposite side of a chain link fence, only seconds after exiting their squad cars, when it appeared to them that Perez was approaching them with a knife. The officers had initially been called to the scene on reports on an intoxicated individual chasing others around while holding a knife. Perez’s disabilities were mistaken for intoxication.

Perez had been through several surgeries, including surgeries to remove all nine bullets. He also ultimately had his leg amputated.

The shooting remained under investigation by the East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force. A video of the incident circulated online. Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei argued that the video only shows one angle, and that “the full picture requires careful review of all facts and evidence.”