What happened to Richard Sanchez? Authorities identify victim fatally shot by 13-year-old boy in Colorado bus

60-year-old Richard Sanchez has been shot to death, allegedly by a teenager. The incident happened last Saturday night on an RTD bus. Sanchez reportedly got into a verbal altercation with the suspected shooter, that eventually led to the horrific incident. Denver Police Department believes that the argument was the reason behind the alleged shooting.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to gun violence. Readers' discretion is advised.

According to authorities, the teenager has been charged with first-degree murder, in connection to Sanchez's tragic death. A GoFundMe fundraiser has further been launched to raise funds to meet the victim's funeral expenses.

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A 13-year-old teenager has been accused of fatally shooting an elderly man, identified as Richard Sanchez, on a bus

On Saturday, January 27, 2024, a fatal shooting incident took place in Denver, that ended up killing an elderly man. The man was later identified as 60-year-old Richard Sanchez, who was on a bus a few blocks away from his house. Police stated that the shooting occurred at the intersection of South Federal Boulevard and West Mississippi Avenue, at about 6.41 pm local time.

Sanchez was immediately taken to the hospital, where he was eventually declared dead. The shooting also injured another individual, however, he did not need to go to the hospital. Authorities took the teenager into custody, on Thursday, February 1. The argument reportedly began after the alleged shooter accused the old man of blocking the aisle with his leg. The Denver Police Department told FOX 31,

"At this stage of the investigation, it appears there was a verbal exchange between the suspect and victim about the victim’s leg blocking the aisle on the bus, and the suspect then shot the victim."

The victim's family was informed that he was deceased, only when they went to report him missing, on Monday, January 29, 2024.

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Sanchez's family is trying to cope with the tragic loss

The victim's family has expressed their grief in connection to the tragic death of Richard Sanchez. According to The New York Post, his grandson, Joseph Chavez, said,

"It’s been hard because we didn’t know where he was at, and the whole time, he was at the hospital, and they didn’t contact us. Nobody was there with him during his last breath."

Chavez further described his late grandfather as being a happy person in general. He additionally said,

"It feels unreal... He was always happy. He was a really happy dude."

As previously mentioned, a GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched to cover the funeral expenses of Richard Sanchez. It has a target of $10,000 and has collected over $1,000 as of now, from about 15 contributors. The fundraiser has been launched by the victim's daughter, Krystal. In the fundraiser post, Krystal wrote,

"Our dad was just trying to get home to his daughters and grandsons but never arrived. A 13 year old boy shot and killed him. This has been one of the most devastating things to deal with as a family."

She further described the incident as a 'senseless crime.' The case is an ongoing investigation.