Locals voice concerns at ‘Truth & Reconciliation’ conference for Victor Perez

POCATELLO – A wide range of people gathered Saturday to speak about the police shooting of 17-year-old Victor Perez in Pocatello, and to consider better ways to interact with law enforcement.

The conversation occurred at the “Truth & Reconciliation Conference” held on Saturday by California law firm Burris, Nisenbaum, Curry & Lacy, representing Victor Perez and his family. Around 45 to 50 people attended the conference in the Little Wood River room of the Idaho State University Pond Student Union Building.

“This is a community that is hurting very deeply, and I’m grateful that you’re all able to be here together to share your stories, to know that you’re not alone, to know that there are other people who understand the deep pain that you’re going through,” said Alice Shikina, a professional mediator who facilitated the discussion at the conference.

Throughout the conference, which lasted most of the afternoon, attorneys with the firm spoke to the audience about their legal rights when interacting with law enforcement. They also spoke about how to find legal representation after an encounter with law enforcement. Finally, members of the public spoke about their interactions with police, or talked about their response to the incident with Perez.

On April 5, four Pocatello Police officers discharged their weapons at Perez as he stood up and moved towards them while holding a knife in his backyard. The officers, who were separated from Perez by a fence, struck him with at least nine bullets, while one fired a beanbag round from a shotgun.

Perez has been described as being autistic and having cerebral palsy. Perez died a week after the shooting, after receiving multiple surgeries and having his leg amputated.

The city of Pocatello has previously denied commenting on Perez’s death due to a civil lawsuit, officially filed on Thursday on behalf of him and his family. The Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is investigating the incident and will turn its findings over to Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador for review once the investigation is complete.

Luis Alicea, the grandfather and guardian of Perez, who previously addressed the public for the first time Thursday, spoke again at the conference. Alicea said, speaking through an interpreter, “he goes out through the door of his house into his yard, where he likes to go and drink coffee and where they live. He still sees his grandson lying on the floor there.”

“This was a human being, a child that they loved, who, even though he was 17 years old, had more the mental state of a six year old. And so to them, he was a child and a child they loved,” Alicea said, via the interpreter.

Irma Valero, one of the conference’s organizers, spoke about Sunday morning, April 6, when she saw video taken of Perez’s shooting.

“I woke up Sunday morning … and then I saw a video that I couldn’t believe I was even watching. It shocked my senses,” Valero said.

For Valero, she couldn’t help but think about her four sons when she watched the video. She recounted how after she took a two hour drive to clear her head, she went to Bridger Street and found the Perez house.

“I just wanted to show up to the family. When he opened the door, I saw Señor Luis, and I questioned why he wasn’t just collapsed on the ground. He was standing,” Valero said, later continuing, “I offered what little I could give them – just to be seen. That someone, somewhere, some stranger who’s never met them before, cared.”

She finished by explaining why she was there that day.

“I’m not going to stand here and let it happen over and over. I’m not just going to feel bad about it. I’m going to do something, and I hope you guys do too,” Valero said.

A man who only identified himself as ‘Clinton’ spoke at the conference, stating his belief that the citizens should be able to elect their police chief.

“What I think we all need to do is we all need to come together, and we need to have persistence,” Clinton said. He later continued, “As a community, we have to stand as one. We have to stay united and we have to do things in the right way, and right (is) right and wrong (is) wrong.”

Dave Archuleta, a retired associate tribal district judge, spoke at the conference, and commended a Pocatello city councilperson, who he did not name specifically, for coming to the conference earlier in the day to listen.

EastIdahoNews.com saw City Councilman Hayden Paulsen at the conference earlier in the day.

“He’s listening, and I’m very happy that he’s been here so he can hear what you’re saying. I want to know why (Mayor Brian Blad is) not sitting here. I want to know why other city council people aren’t sitting here listening to what the people are saying,” Archuleta said.

Archuleta also referenced an interview he had just done with Nathan Haack, one of Valero’s sons, quoting, “one person can make change. One person at a time.”

“I’m going to encourage young people like Nathan over there to actually put his name on the ballot and run for city council. Maybe we need to start bringing the younger generation in here so we can get some fresh blood in here to start thinking the way Pocatello (should),” Archuleta said.