POCATELLO, Idaho — "Everyone is looking for answers." Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad says the recent police shooting of a 17-year-old autistic teen has "his full attention."
RELATED: Pocatello residents demand answers after autistic 17-year-old is shot nine times by police
In a video posted on Thursday, Blad said many questions about the incident cannot be answered, "out of concern of interfering with or compromising the investigation." However, the mayor says the four involved officers were placed on administrative leave, per city policy. Additionally, the Mayor says body camera footage of the incident will be released in the coming weeks.
Victor Perez is on the autism spectrum.
The shooting sparked widespread outrage, with many questioning why the situation escalated so quickly, especially given Perez’s vulnerability.
When dealing with people with autism or other cognitive conditions, some law enforcement agencies are turning to special resources.
Like the Ada County Sheriff’s Office and their Registry of Vulnerable Populations.
Captain Zachary Walls with the Ada County Sheriffs Office said, "The Ada Registry of Vulnerable Populations started back in 2018, and it was actually started because a couple of dispatchers that worked here had family members, one was autistic and the other had a family member with dementia."
The registry is voluntary and includes people with conditions like autism, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
It helps first responders better understand who they’re interacting with, from known triggers to places that person might commonly visit.
Captain Walls said,"It provides information for law enforcement. Let’s say a nonverbal autistic person wanders away from home and tends to frequent areas with bodies of water, things like that. That information can really help with law enforcement."
According to a spokesperson for Bannock County, a vulnerable person registry doesn’t seem to exist for the county.
But the focus right now is letting investigators do their jobs.
Mayor Blad added that the City of Pocatello will, once complete, "act in accordance" with the findings from the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force investigation.
Mayor Blad concluded, "Right now, our thoughts are with the Perez family, the neighborhood residents who witnessed the interaction, our entire community, and all members of the Pocatello Police Department. It will take a very long time for all of us to find normalcy, but our hope is we can find a way to move forward and build a stronger community together."
On Monday, Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei also held a press conference to address the shooting. No questions were asked at the press conference due to the "ongoing investigation."
