New York City Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Monday, May 19, 1997
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: 2107
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 19, 1997
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Police Officer Anthony Sanchez was shot and killed after responding to a home invasion robbery in luxury apartment building on West 17th Street in Manhattan.
Just after midnight, the son of a garment district executive put into motion a plan he had conceived to rob his millionaire father of cash. Several months earlier the father had fired his son and cut off all contact with after he discovered the son was embezzling money from their company. Wearing a ski mask, the suspect arrived at the location and entered using an old key he had. He took the private elevator up to his fathers apartment and entered. As he walked around, his father woke, called 911 and confronted his son. The son tied the father up, stole $5,000 in cash and fled the apartment as the police arrived.
Several officers responded to the call. Some of the officers responded directly to the apartment, some took positions at the fire escape, and Officer Sanchez took position in the lobby, near the stairway. The officers covering the fire escaped observed the suspect attempting to flee through a window. The suspect went back into the building upon seeing the officers. To cut off the suspects escape, Officer Sanchez entered the stairway. Alone, he confronted the suspect between the 9th and 10th floors of the building. The two exchanged gunfire, and Officer Sanchez was struck in the back of the neck. The suspect was also struck, receiving non-fatal wounds.
Wounded, Officer Sanchez attempted to descend the staircase, but collapsed on the 3rd floor landing. The suspect fled. He was apprehended hiding in the basement of the building.
Officer Sanchez was taken to St. Vincent's Medical Center, where he died from his wounds.
On January 15, 1998, the suspect was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the murder of Officer Sanchez. The suspect died in prison in 2002.
Officer Sanchez was assigned to the 13th Precinct. He is survived by his wife and 7-year-old son.