Family of grandpa shot dead for blocking bus aisle with his leg shocked at 13-year-old alleged killer’s age, will ‘fight’ for teen to be tried as adult
The family of a Colorado grandfather senselessly gunned down for blocking the aisle of a city bus with his leg last month are baffled by the alleged teen murderer’s young age and demanded he be tried as an adult.
“It was heartbreaking to know that there are these young boys out there carrying guns, and it’s just unbelievable,” the daughter of Richard Sanchez, Krystal, told Fox 31 Wednesday about hearing the age of her father’s suspected killer.
Sanchez, 60, was shot and killed when he got into an argument with a 13-year-old suspect on an RTD bus in Denver on Jan. 27.
Police believe the argument between the alleged killer and Sanchez started over the elderly man blocking the aisle with his leg.
The shooting happened around 6:41 p.m. at the intersection of South Federal Boulevard and West Mississippi Avenue — about 3 miles from Empower Field at Mile High, the Denver Broncos’ stadium.
Less than a week after the heartless killing, police arrested the teen on Feb. 1.
His name is being withheld due to his age.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office said the teen — who was initially charged as a juvenile — is expected to be formally charged with murder this week, according to Inside Edition.
Sanchez was shot dead only a few blocks from his home and his family is still coming to terms with the death.
“How could he do this without knowing someone? And over a foot being in the aisle, like an elderly. Like not so much elderly, but 60 years old — he was a grandpa,” Krystal Sanchez said.
The grandfather’s family was not informed Sanchez was killed until they went to report him missing and were told he had been shot and died in the hospital.
“It was just hard to wrap our head around. It went from him just not being here to never coming home,” Sanchez’s other daughter, Miranda, told Fox 31.
“Everything in our house reminds us of him. You know, looking out the window and opening the curtains. You know, just the little things,” Krystal Sanchez said.
The daughters have vowed to make sure the 13-year-old accused of killing their father will be tried as an adult.
“We’re going to fight for that,” Krystal Sanchez told the outlet.
“We don’t know if we’re going to get it, but that’s something we want as a family, and we want justice for our dad. Because he did not deserve to go out like this.”
At least 178 passengers reported being assaulted or injured while using RTD transit during 2021 and the first two months of 2022, according to RTD records shared by Fox 31.
