UPDATE [April 12, 2025] Following the amputation of his leg and two additional surgeries, doctors determined that Victor was brain-dead. He was taken off life support and passed away on Saturday, April 12.

Seventeen-year-old Victor Perez, a nonverbal autistic teen with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy, was shot multiple times by police in Pocatello, Idaho. 

Horrific video footage shows officers opened fire within seconds of arriving, without taking time to assess the situation or use less-lethal options. Victor, who walked with a limp and could not communicate like others, is now fighting for his life after undergoing multiple surgeries and a leg amputation.

"We don't know if he's going to wake up."

This was Victor’s first-ever interaction with law enforcement. His family didn’t call for help expecting a tragedy, they just needed support during a difficult moment. Instead, they were met with violence.

His 16-year-old sister tried to warn officers that he was “special,” but it didn’t matter. No one listened.

This is not just about one boy, it’s about every disabled person whose life is treated as expendable because police aren’t properly trained to recognize or de-escalate neurodivergent behavior. Officers must be held accountable. And departments across the country, including in Pocatello, must be required to implement meaningful, autism-aware crisis response training now.

Victor deserved patience. He deserved compassion. He deserved to live.

We demand:

• Immediate full investigation and accountability for the officers involved
• Mandatory training for all officers on how to safely interact with autistic and intellectually disabled individuals
• A national conversation on ending police violence against disabled people

Victor’s life matters. We cannot let this happen again. 

Photo: NYPost KIFI