Caught on Camera: US cop shoots teenager eating burger in McDonald’s parking lot

In a horrifying incident, a police officer in the US city of San Antonio opened fire on an unarmed teenager eating a hamburger in a McDonald’s parking lot, seriously injuring the boy who is now recovering in hospital, according to reports in the American press.

The police officer, who was on probation, has been fired after video footage of the incident went viral.

Officer James Brennand responded to a disturbance call at the McDonald’s outlet on Oct. 2, police said. But Brennand was quickly distracted by the parked car the 17-year-old, Erik Cantu, was sitting in. The police officer claimed that the car evaded him the day before during an attempted traffic stop and he suspected the car was stolen.

Brennand walked up to the car, opened the driver’s door and ordered Cantu to get out, body-camera video shows. Cantu was holding a burger in his hand and asked the cop why he was being asked to get out.

The teenager put the car in reverse with the door still open. Brennand stepped back and started firing repeatedly at the vehicle. As Cantu drove away from the McDonald’s outlet, Brennand pumped more bullets into the vehicle and ran after it.

Multiple bullets struck Cantu, who was found a block away, police said. A 17-year-old girl in the passenger seat escaped injury.

“There is nothing I can say in defense of that officer’s actions that night,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told WOAI-TV. “I think what happened, initially, there was some contact made, but that did not justify the shooting.”

Cantu was initially charged with resisting arrest and injuring a police officer, but the charges were dropped after the video went viral.

“The facts and evidence we have received so far led us to reject the charges against Erik Cantu for further investigation,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said.

Because Brennand was a probationary officer who had been on the force for seven months, he was fired immediately.

The shooting remains under investigation, the police spokesperson said.