We're barely halfway through April and the news is as grim as ever. National Autism Association reports that SIX children have wandered and drowned in two weeks. S-I-X. And then there's this horror story. Victor Perez was assumed to be armed and dangerous by Pocatello Idaho police. He was armed. He also had autism AND cerebral palsy, which would have been clear to anyone because of his gait, would it not? Death by wandering and drowning. Death by police who do not understand, are not trained and can not assess the situation they are facing. Perez was carrying a large knife. Yes, it's a weapon. but he was no threat to the police from their cars, behind a fence. He was not carrying a gun. did they think he was going to throw the knife at them like a circus performer?

These are the stories of autism. They should make us weep. Gnash our teeth. And BEG for answers. Tomorrow, we'll learn the new autism prevalence rate. It will be worse than ever. And the band plays on.

Our hearts go out to the Perez family.

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Autistic teenager shot by Idaho police dies after being removed from life support ByMARTHA BELLISLE and REBECCA BOONE AP logo

BOISE, Idaho -- An autistic, nonverbal teenage boy who was shot repeatedly by Idaho police from the other side of a chain-link fence while he was holding a knife died Saturday after being removed from life support, his family said.

Victor Perez, 17, who also had cerebral palsy, had been in a coma since the April 5 shooting, and tests Friday showed that he had no brain activity, his aunt, Ana Vazquez, told The Associated Press. He had undergone several surgeries, with doctors removing nine bullets and amputating his leg.

Police in the southeast Idaho city of Pocatello responded to a 911 call reporting that an apparently intoxicated man with a knife was chasing someone in a yard. It turned out to be Perez, who was not intoxicated but walked with a staggered gait due to his disabilities, Vazquez said. His family members had been trying to get the large kitchen knife away from him.

Video taken by a neighbor showed that Perez was lying in the yard after falling over when four officers arrived and rushed to the fence at the edge of the yard. They immediately ordered Perez to drop the knife, but instead he stood and began stumbling toward them.

Officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of getting out of their patrol cars and made no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation.

"Everybody was trying to tell the police, no, no," Vazquez said. "Those four officers didn't care. They didn't ask what was happening, what was the situation."

"How's he going to jump the fence when he can barely walk?" she said.

The shooting outraged Perez's family and Pocatello residents, and about 200 people attended a vigil Saturday morning outside the Pocatello hospital where he was treated. Another crowd of protesters gathered outside the Pocatello City Hall building, which also houses the police department, on Saturday afternoon. Police snipers were stationed on a nearby rooftop during the protest, though no violence was reported. Many of the protesters held signs with phrases like, "Do better, PPD" and "Justice for Victor," and passing cars honked in acknowledgment.