Brian Blad, mayor of Pocatello, Idaho, says the recent police shooting of a 17-year-old autistic teen has "his full attention."
"Everyone is looking for answers," he said.
In a video posted on Thursday, Blad said many questions about the incident cannot be answered "out of concern of interfering with or compromising the investigation." However, the mayor said the four involved officers were placed on administrative leave, per city policy. Additionally, the mayor said body camera footage of the incident will be released in the coming weeks.
The shooting of Victor Perez, who is on the autism spectrum, sparked widespread outrage, with many questioning why the situation escalated so quickly.
Blad said the city will follow the recommendations of the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force once its investigation is complete.
"Right now, our thoughts are with the Perez family, the neighborhood residents who witnessed the interaction, our entire community, and all members of the Pocatello Police Department," the mayor stated. "It will take a very long time for all of us to find normalcy, but our hope is we can find a way to move forward and build a stronger community together."
On Monday, Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei also held a press conference to address the shooting. No questions were taken at the press conference due to the "ongoing investigation."
This story was originally published by Jessica Davis with the Scripps News Group in Boise, Idaho.
