CHANDLER, AZ — The City of Chandler has paid the parents of Anthony Cano $1,125,000 in connection to the teen's shooting death at the hands of police.
The 17-year-old was shot twice in the back while running from an officer on January 2. The shooting happened on a Saturday night at Gazelle Meadows Park, near Nevada and Erie Street.
The chase occurred after Cano failed to stop after the "officer observed Cano riding a bicycle with no front headlight in the street."
The 17-year-old had a gun as he ran away, but never turned towards the police officer chasing him. In fact, when he was shot the first time in the back, Cano was tossing the gun. When the second shot was fired, the teen was face down and the weapon was more than ten yards away.
ABC15 repeatedly pushed for answers and increased transparency after Chandler PD initially released a highly edited "Critical Incident Briefing."
In that pre-produced video that never mentioned that Officer Bebak-Miller had beeninvolved in a shooting at the same park just eight months earlier.
They also omitted the fact that his Dad was on a ride-a-long with him that night, and that he failed to fill out the required 'Citizen Observer Waiver of Liability' paperwork.
Cano's father will receive $125,000. While the City of Chandler will pay the teen's mother $1,000,000.
The mother's attorney, Greg Kuykendall, sent ABC15 the following statement after the settlements were unanimously approved by City Council Thursday night:
"Anthony Cano should be alive today. He and his beloved family should be laughing at Anthony’s antics, loving one another, and planning for their joint futures. But instead, Anthony is dead after he was relentlessly chased down for having ridden his bicycle without a headlight, then shot in the back while he was throwing away a gun, then shot again in the back as he lay helpless on the ground for no reason. His mother is now absolutely distraught. His siblings are beyond anguished. His many friends are lost, alone and angry. This horrific outcome is all because of a culture encouraged by the Chandler Police Department that celebrates violence and rewards lawlessness. That culture can be changed — and it must change — or there will be more killings of children and innocents like Anthony Cano. However, police departments cannot ever be expected to change, unless and until forced to do so. The Chandler taxpayers and the Chandler City government can make that happen, and they should."
The City of Chandler sent ABC15 the following statement:
"The negotiated settlement brings closure to the civil claims filed by the mother and father of Anthony Cano, Jr. The City of Chandler admits no fault as a condition of the settlement.
This case remains an active criminal investigation awaiting review and a decision by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the completion of an internal investigation by the Chandler Police Department. Officer Chase Bebak-Miller continues serving in a modified assignment with the Chandler Police Department."
