Slain Woman’s Parents Focused on Healing, Not ‘Sanctuary’

The suspect accused of a random shooting that killed a woman strolling a popular San Francisco pier had previously been deported five times.

Kathryn Steinle’s father, Jim Steinle, told reporters he hopes justice reigns in the case against Francisco Sanchez, 45.

According to Freya Horne, a lawyer for the Sheriff’s Department, the city only turns more than illegal immigrants if there is an active warrant for their arrest, the AP stated.

Information from: KNTV-TV.

Andraychak said her family wanted the police department to relay a message to the public, expressing their gratitude to all the Good Samaritans who tried to help their daughter following the shooting and to all those who provided police with information about the suspect.

In spite of a Excellent Samaritan assisting officers attend to Steinle prior to paramedics arrived, she later died at San Francisco General Hospital.

But he said the weapon – which he said he found laying on the ground wrapped in a T-shirt – went off by accident when he picked it up, according to KGO.

Immigration officials accompanied the transfer with a detention order – meaning the agency was supposed to be notified when Sanchez was released, so he could be rearrested and once again deported. Horne said they checked and found none.

In a detailed statement released Monday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said that at the time it had turned over Sanchez to local law enforcement, it also had requested that they be kept apprised of any changes in his status – and they weren’t.

Steinle was walking July 1 on a busy pier in San Francisco with her father when there was a single popping sound in the air.

The alleged murderer was free because of a local policy and state law that prevent cooperation with federal immigration detainers-and because of a federal government that encourages such disobedience.

In early 2013, Sheriff Mirkarimi revised the Sheriff’s Department ICE detainer practice, significantly limiting holds eligible for release to ICE authorities. He has a long rap sheet, which includes seven felonies, most on drug charges. “It’s sad to hear someone so young lost their life in an act of insanity”, said Gabriel, who said he came to San Francisco from El Salvador 25 years ago.

According to CNN affiliate KRON, San Francisco’s policy on undocumented immigrants says that police “shall not detain an individual on the basis of a civil immigration detainer after that individual becomes eligible for release from custody”. They arrested one Francisco Sanchez, and say he has made statements about the killing, which seems to be random.

He said that at about 6:30 p.m. Steinle was with her family about two-thirds of the way down the pier, “just out enjoying the day”, when she was struck by gunfire. With felony convictions on his record, he could not legally buy a gun, nor could he have done that with a record of deportation and being an illegal alien.