Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales (at podium) speaks to reporters during a press conference Thursday afternoon. Credit: Michael Karlis
A grand jury has indicted the former San Antonio police officer accused of shooting unarmed teen Erik Cantu on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of attempted murder, District Attorney Joe Gonzales said Thursday.

James Brennand, then a rookie officer, fired multiple times at Cantu in a McDonald’s Parking lot on Oct. 2, leaving him critically wounded. Brennand was fired from the department three days later and was subsequently charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant.

Gonzales told reporters Thursday that his office will seek maximum punishment on all the charges against Brennand. Brennand could face a maximum of 60 years in state prison if convicted on all charges.

Brennand has now been indicted on an additional charge of attempted murder, something that his parents and Cantu’s high-profile civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, called for during a press conference last month.

“Today’s announcement is a relief for Erik, his family and everyone supporting them through this tragedy,” Crump said in a statement to the Current. “The grand jury’s decision to indict on an attempted murder charge and two counts of aggravated assault is a significant step toward justice — but there is still a long road ahead. We will continue to fight for accountability and transparency through the legal process.”

Coming soon: SA Current Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting San Antonio stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Related Stories

This article appears in Nov 30 – Dec 12, 2022.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...