New graphic Chandler police video shows officer shooting armed teen in the back

CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - The Chandler Police Department released new edited body-cam video that shows an officer shooting an armed teen in the back at a park earlier this month.

Police said it started when an officer, who hasn’t been identified, saw 17-year-old Anthony Bernal Cano riding a bicycle with no headlight on Jan. 2 around 9:20 p.m. near Erie and Nevada streets. That’s in the neighborhood of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard. The body-cam video shows the officer in his patrol car following Cano. The teen ditches his bicycle near an empty canal and runs off toward Gazelle Meadows Park. The officer gets out of his car and runs after him.

“He’s fleeing on foot,” said the officer.

They both hop a fence while the officer chases Cano through the park. While running, police said Cano’s gun, which had an extended magazine, fell to the ground, police said.

“As Cano stopped to retrieve his gun, the officer drew his duty weapon,” said Commander Chris Perez with the Chandler Police Department.

“Drop it! Get on the ground!” the officer shouts before shooting Cano.

It appears Cano has the gun in his hand when the first shot was fired, but it’s unclear what he was doing with it. About two seconds later, the officer shoots Cano in the back again while he’s on the ground. Other officers arrived and provided medical aid. Cano was taken to the hospital and is still in critical condition. The officer, who has five years’ experience with the department, was not hurt. He is still on administrative leave, which is protocol after an officer-involved shooting.

Arizona’s Family has requested the unedited version of the body-camera video. Police said since it’s an open investigation, the edited video is all detectives will be releasing at this time. An investigation into the shooting continues.

This is the first officer-involved shooting in Maricopa County in 2021.