Cop, 25, Fired For Shooting Teen, 17, Eating Cheeseburger Outside McDonald’s

San Antonio Cop James Brennand was on the job just seven months when he opened fire at Erik Cantu in a McDonald’s parking lot around 10:30 p.m. He had been called to the location after a reported disturbance, and upon his arrival, he allegedly mistook the teen’s car for a vehicle that had evaded him the previous night.

17-Year-Old Erick [pictured] is currently hospitalized at a nearby Hospital.

He’s listed as being in critical but stable condition, and following the shooting, the cop had reportedly administered CPR while he waited for paramedics. Before the video release that captured the incident, James had maintained he only opened fire on Erick after he hit him with his car. 

But the video showed otherwise. It saw the cop approach Erick’s maroon car and call for cover but quickly took matters into his hands and opened the car door. 

It’s unknown if the teen’s car was stolen, but the video showed the moment James demanded Erick get out of the vehicle. As he questioned the officer’s orders, the teen attempted to put the car in reverse, and the door caught James, who then quickly opened fire and shot into the driver’s side. 

The bodycam footage caught James shouting a shot fired into his radio. 

And as Erick pulled out of the parking spot and tried to drive away, James continued shooting into the back of the car. The teen and a female passenger, who hasn’t been identified, were later found outside the vehicle a block away from the shooting. Law enforcement laid charges against Erick for evading arrest/assault on a police officer, but those have since been dropped. 

The San Antonio Police Department has acted swiftly in firing James, who was still in his probationary period, implying he’s not entitled to an appeal. 

“This young man is in critical but stable condition in the hospital. There was some issue with his parents being to have extended contact with him. I understand it’s a touch-and-go situation. Exercising my discretion, what I decided to do for now is dismiss this case so that his family can be by his side,” Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said at a press briefing upon reviewing the video. 

Regarding possible charges against Officer James, the attorney added: “The case is pending. We will have to wait until SAPD files the entire case in our office. We will then review it.”

He continued: “My concern right now is with the health of this young man, with his parents’ ability to be by his side and so that’s why we have done what we have done. It’ll take some time for SAPD to file the complete case with us and then we’ll make the decision. I commend the San Antonio Police Department for taking the action they did for terminating this individual because clearly there was concern on their part.”

There’s a possibility that James could face criminal charges. 

According to his LinkedIn page, he had previously served as a military dog handler in the US Army and was stationed outside Seattle. James’s profile refers to himself as an experienced working dog handler with a demonstrated history of working in the military industry. He also said he’s Skilled in Law Enforcement, Operational Planning, Active DoD Secret Clearance, Military Operations, and Security. 

James graduated from the San Antonio Police Training Academy in 2021 and was commended for his skills with a gun, finishing 4th in his class in the firearms discipline. 

While in the Army, he received a criminal justice and police science degree from Kaplan University, an online college. However, the former police officer has one child with his wife, Danielle Arnold, who is also a dog handler with the US Army. As of this time of writing, it’s unknown if Arnold is still in the military, as she says on her Facebook Page that she’s attending online courses at Purdue University. 

James and Arnold tied the knot on July 12, 2019.

And their child [pictured] was born in August 2022.