SAN ANTONIO – On Tuesday, Erik Cantu will appear in court for his latest arrest stemming from a 2024 assault.
Cantu, who was shot in 2022 by former San Antonio Police Department officer James Brennand, has been arrested four times since then.
Brennand, who is charged with aggravated assault by a public servant and faces up to life in prison if found guilty, is now set to stand trial on Friday.
Here’s a timeline charting the two’s legal troubles from the night of the shooting to the present day:
Oct. 1, 2022: San Antonio Police Department records showed that Erik Cantu evaded ex-SAPD officer James Brennand in a maroon BMW sedan near U.S. Highway 281 and Bitters Road. Records showed that Brennand did not engage in the pursuit but documented the car’s license plates.
Oct. 2, 2022: Brennand encountered Cantu in the parking lot of a McDonald’s on Blanco Road. Brennand, who said he recognized the BMW from the night before, approached the vehicle and opened the driver’s side door without announcing himself as an officer. Cantu, who was eating a burger in the car with then-17-year-old Emily Proulx, reversed the vehicle and attempted to drive away, police records showed. Brennand fired multiple shots at the BMW, striking Cantu. Proulx told investigators that after the shooting, Cantu stopped the car near a Las Palapas and surrendered to responding officers. He was taken to a hospital for gunshot wounds.
Oct. 3, 2022: Brennand was placed on administrative duty, the San Antonio Police Department said.
Oct. 5, 2022: Brennand, who’d been with SAPD for seven months, was fired from the police department and body cam footage of the shooting was made publicly available.
Oct. 7, 2022: Charges filed against Cantu were dismissed by Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. Cantu was initially charged with evading arrest with a vehicle and aggravated assault. “We have since reviewing the footage, I’ve instructed my office to dismiss the cases against this young man,” Gonzales said.
Oct. 11, 2022: Brennand was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant. SAPD Chief William McManus called the shooting video “horrific.” Cantu’s attorney Brian Powers told KSAT that the teenager was unconscious and on life support.
Oct. 12, 2022: Brennand was released from jail after posting a $200,000 bond.
Oct. 13, 2022: SAPD officials said that Cantu was not driving a stolen vehicle. Brennand had initially said he suspected the car Cantu was driving was stolen. SAPD confirmed that the license plates did not belong to the vehicle but that it was not stolen.
Oct. 19, 2022: Cantu’s family hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump to assist in Cantu’s representation.
Oct. 28, 2022: KSAT requested the additional video from Brennand’s camera and other officers, in addition to the police report, under the Texas Public Information Act. City of San Antonio officials argued against releasing the information and requested that the city keep the records private under an exception in the state law.
Nov. 4, 2022: Cantu’s family said that the teenager was no longer on life support after undergoing extensive surgery.
Nov. 23, 2022: Cantu was released from the hospital. A Bexar County court hearing for Brennand was rescheduled due to an assigned judge being out of court for the week.
Dec. 1, 2022: Brennand was indicted by a Bexar County grand jury for two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant and one count of attempted murder.
Dec. 2, 2022: Emily Proulx, the passenger in Cantu’s car the night of the shooting, hired attorney Ben Crump in a precursor to a civil lawsuit.
Dec. 6, 2022: Cantu was hospitalized again for complications related to organs injured in the shooting.
Feb. 24, 2023: Brennand had his first hearing in Bexar County court. He was represented by attorney Nico LaHood.
June 9, 2023: Brennand had his second court appearance. Prosecutor Daryl Harris told the judge he was still collecting evidence. “I’ve also been made aware of some incidents involving the defendant in his employment as an officer that could be probative to this matter,” Harris said in court.
July 14, 2023: Cantu and Proulx were arrested and charged with theft. According to authorities, the duo stole a car charger and air freshener from a Walmart.
Aug. 21, 2023: Cantu sat in on a court hearing for Brennand. Harris and the defense updated the judge on the case.
Oct. 20, 2023: Brennand’s attorneys filed a motion seeking a change of venue in his upcoming trial. His attorneys argued that Brennand would not receive an impartial jury due to the extensive media coverage the incident received.
Oct. 23, 2023: Cantu was named as a suspect in two felony evading arrest cases that occurred less than a week apart, according to SAPD records. In the first case, the driver of a vehicle traveling 100 mph in a 65-mph zone evaded police in a pursuit. Six days later, an SAPD bike patrol officer attempted to stop a driver who also evaded authorities. Investigators linked Cantu to the cases from a physical description, the car’s license plate and an Instagram handle on the car. The records showed that a woman, who claimed to be six months pregnant with Cantu’s child, said she was assaulted by Cantu in August. An SAPD spokesperson said Cantu had not been formally booked on any of the charges.
Nov. 13, 2023: Cantu was taken into custody on a felony warrant for evading arrest with a vehicle, Bexar County court records showed. Authorities had responded to a disturbance call where a woman, who identified herself as the mother of Cantu’s girlfriend, said he would not leave the apartment. Cantu was taken into custody and was issued a criminal trespass warning, an incident report stated.
March 7, 2024: A Bexar County judge heard arguments for a change of venue in Brennand’s upcoming trial. The judge did not rule on the matter and said that he would view the presented evidence before making a decision. Court records obtained by KSAT revealed that Brennand no longer faced an attempted murder charge in connection to the shooting.
March 20, 2024: Brennand’s request for a change of venue was denied. 437th District Court Judge Joel Perez ruled that Brennand will be tried in Bexar County.
March 25, 2024: The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office announced that it would be recusing itself from Erik Cantu’s evading arrest cases.
April 15, 2024: Cantu and Proulx filed a civil lawsuit against Brennand. The lawsuit stated that Cantu and Proulx were seeking “money for each element of damages that will fairly and reasonably compensate Cantu, Jr. and Proulx for their harms and losses suffered in the past and those which will, in reasonable probability, be suffered in the future as a result of the injuries incurred by Plaintiffs.”
May 1, 2024: Brennand’s trial was set for Nov. 12, 2024, on a charge of deadly conduct with a firearm.
June 24, 2024: A judge denied a request from the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office to recuse itself from a pair of cases involving Cantu. The judge said the district attorney’s office must move forward and prosecute Cantu.
Nov. 7, 2024: Cantu was arrested after a warrant for his re-arrest was issued the month prior. Prosecutors said he repeatedly violated terms of his community supervision in his felony evading arrest cases. Court records obtained by KSAT revealed that Cantu had skipped court-ordered drug screenings on Sept. 11 and Oct. 9. The records also showed that he operated a motor vehicle on Oct. 8, in violation of the conditions of his community supervision.
Dec. 3, 2024: Cantu was transferred to a county counseling facility after a judge ruled that he had violated his probation. Cantu’s attorney argued that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from the 2022 shooting has affected his decision-making.
March 6, 2025: Brennand was issued a new trial date set for April. Prosecutor Neil Cordero told Judge Joel Perez that the state was close to being fully prepared for trial.
March 26, 2025: Sources told KSAT that issues with evidence led to another delay in Brennand’s trial. His trial was postponed without a new date set.
May 10, 2025: Cantu completed a program at the county counseling facility and was refitted for a GPS monitor. As part of his conditions, he was barred from driving for the remainder of his probation and was required to wear a GPS monitor.
June 27, 2025: Brennand’s trial received a new start date of Oct. 17 for jury selection. Testimony was set to begin three days later on Oct. 20.
Sept. 22, 2025: Cantu was arrested again on an assault charge stemming from a 2024 case. An arrest warrant affidavit stated that Cantu threw a woman to the ground and repeatedly assaulted her on Sept. 28, 2024. The warrant for his arrest was not issued until Sept. 18, 2025, nearly a full year later. The district attorney’s office filed a motion to revoke Cantu’s community supervision.
Sept. 26, 2025: A Bexar County judge denied a request to delay Brennand’s trial. Attorney Jason Goss made the request where he argued that attorneys involved with Brennand’s defense would be tied up with a different trial less than two weeks before its proposed start date.
Oct. 13, 2025: Cantu appeared in court nearly one month after his latest arrest. Judge Stephanie Boyd agreed with Cantu’s attorney to give the defense additional time to review medical records related to the 2024 assault charge. Cantu is expected to be back in court on Nov. 18. Brennand is scheduled to now go to trial on Nov. 21.
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