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‘They put him on death’s door’: Protests erupt as Idaho cops shoot autistic teen 9 times, leading to leg amputation
An autistic teenager was allegedly shot by Idaho police a whopping nine times, leading to him fighting for his life in the hospital.
An autistic teenager was allegedly shot by Idaho police a whopping nine times, leading to him fighting for his life. The incident has prompted community-wide outrage and protests, according to the New York Post.
Multiple shots were fired when police responded to a call about a physical disturbance at the 17-year-old victim’s family in Pocatello at 5:25 pm Saturday, April 5, the Pocatello Police Department said in a press release. “At approximately 5:22 PM, officers responded to a residence located in the 700 block of N. Harrison in reference to a reported physical disturbance involving two male subjects and a female. It was reported that one of the male subjects was intoxicated and in possession of a knife,” the release, shared on Facebook, reads.
It adds, “Officers arrived on scene at 5:25 PM. During the encounter, officers were involved in a shooting with the male subject who was armed with a knife. Immediate life-saving measures were initiated by officers on the suspect, who was subsequently transported by ambulance Portneuf Medical Center by the Pocatello Fire Department.”
All the cops who were involved in the shooting were uninjured. There is no threat to the public any longer, cops confirmed.
“The East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force will be conducting the investigation into the incident. We respectfully ask for the public’s patience as the investigation unfolds. In the meantime, we advise individuals to avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing,” the release added.
Shooting prompts outrage
Eyewitness video reportedly showed the boy, who has not been named, rolling on the ground. He was seen waving what police said was a knife at a woman who is believed to be his mother, Local News 8 reported. Four officers were seen running up to the fence and drawing their guns, yelling “get on the ground” to the teen. Police fired shots after the boy stood up, the video showed.
“He was having a really bad day with mental issues, but he wasn’t chasing anybody, and everybody could easily get out of the reach of his knife,” neighbor Brad Andres told the outlet.
Meanwhile, the teenager’s aunt stressed that the autistic boy has an “impairment” and can “barely walk.”
The injuries sustained by the boy were so severe that his leg had to be amputated. He remains in critical condition, his family claimed.
The incident has prompted widespread outrage locally. Community members lined up outside the Pocatello Police Department building, protesting the shooting. “I can’t imagine anyone in the community trusting police after this. They, again, were called to help with a minor having a mental health episode in his front yard, and they put him on death’s door — he’s in the hospital fighting for his life,” a protester, Dylan Harrison, said.
