POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A Local News 8 investigation into the Pocatello Police shooting of Victor Perez has uncovered significant new details surrounding the shooting of the disabled teen.
One of the revelations learned from police reports indicates that several members of the Pocatello Police Department were aware of Victor’s disabilities before the April 5th shooting. Our investigation also reveals police had been called to the property on previous occasions to intervene in the 17-year-old’s violent outbursts.
Local News 8 requested the incident reports shortly after the shooting, after receiving a tip from an anonymous source familiar with law enforcement that Pocatello PD had interactions with Perez and his family in the past.
The first recorded interaction between officers and the Perez family occurred on December 2nd, 2024. According to the report filed by Officer T. Anderson, police were called to the Perez home after Victor had pinned his mother to the ground by her hair. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation, convincing Victor to release his mother and subsequently placing him in handcuffs.
Officer Anderson’s report notes that Victor’s mother, speaking in Spanish, informed him that Victor was “mentally disabled and suddenly became violent.”
She also disclosed Victor’s history of violent outbursts, including an incident just weeks before in Chicago, Illinois, where he had strangled her. Victor’s mother ultimately chose not to press charges in this case.
On February 25 of this year, less than two months before the shooting, police were called to the home once again. This time, Victor’s grandfather, Luis Armando Alicea, told Officer Forburger of the Pocatello Police Department that the family was struggling to control the teen. Officer Forburger observed that Victor appeared to be non-verbal autistic and, according to the family, he had been acting out at school. . According to the police report, the family told Officer Forsburger they’d had trouble obtaining Victor’s medication, and they blamed that for Victor’s aggressive behavior.
During the February incident, Victor’s mother asked police to take her son to the hospital for evaluation, but Officer Forburger stated they couldn’t without legal grounds for action. However, the police did forward the report to Child Protective Services, advising them to visit the home and conduct an evaluation.
While much of the information in these reports remains redacted, the available details raise critical questions: Were the responding officers on April 5th aware of, or informed of, Victor’s condition? And if so, why not? And how will these newly uncovered details impact the ongoing investigation into their use of force?
Local News 8 reached out to the Pocatello Police regarding these questions. City spokesperson Marlise Irby indicated that the police department would be unable to answer the questions due to the ongoing litigation and investigation by the Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.
In past press conferences, city officials did release the 911 call to dispatch, indicating what the responding officers were aware of at the time. According to the call transcript, dispatch was told that the incident was taking place in the backyard of a home near a shop on 658 North Main. Perez’s name and address were not mentioned.
The documents also suggest that Victor’s family had been struggling to manage his behavior for some time. This, in turn, prompts another important question: Why didn’t they seek outside help or resources to address these ongoing challenges?
We’ll continue to follow this developing story and bring you the latest information as it becomes available.
The individual police reports have been included below:
