POCATELLO, Idaho — The City of Pocatello is offering an explanation as to why two officers with long rifles were perched on a rooftop, overlooking a protest at City Hall on Saturday, April 12. The public demonstration was held in response to the police shooting of a disabled teenager, Victor Perez, on April 5.
Perez passed away after being taken off life support the same day as the protest.
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According to a City of Pocatello press release, "The deployment of officers was a precautionary measure taken in response to a credible threat communicated to Pocatello Police Department (PPD) by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)." The release goes on to state that one or more individuals expressed a "known interest in targeting law enforcement."
"In light of this information, PPD implemented an elevated security posture, which included positioning trained officers at strategic vantage points." - City of Pocatello
An external investigation into the shooting is being led by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force. The results of that investigation will be shared with the public at a later date.
The City of Pocatello says it "strongly supports the constitutional right to peacefully protest."
