Fired San Antonio police officer now charged in Blanco Road McDonald’s parking lot shooting

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — San Antonio police have charged its former officer for shooting at a 17-year-old driver in a Blanco Road McDonald’s parking lot.

San Antonio police chief William McManus said Tuesday night the now-fired officer, James Brennand, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public official.

Brennand had been with the department for seven months when he spotted a car on October 2nd that he had been looking for the day before.  San Antonio police said the car was of interest because the license plates did not match the car, suggesting it may have been stolen.

The officer called for cover, but before the backup arrived, Brennand approached the car, opened the driver’s side door and ordered the teenager, Erik Cantu, out of the car.

Startled while eating a hamburger, Cantu put the car in reverse while the door was open.  The door struck Brennand, knocking him down.

Brennand then began shooting at the car.  In body cam video, the officer then reported to dispatch about shots being fired before continuing to shoot at the car.

Brennand was fired last week by the San Antonio police department for not following department training and protocol.  The San Antonio Police Officers’ Association followed up later in the week saying it would not represent the dismissed officer since he was still in his probationary period with the department.

Cantu is currently in critical condition at a San Antonio area hospital.

McManus said Tuesday night there will be no changes to police department training since the actions by the officer did not follow the department’s protocol.

“This was a failure for one individual police officer,” the police chief said.  “It had nothing to do with our policies.  Policies did not allow that, training did not teach that.  So this was a fail for one particular police officer.”