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Background: The 900 block of South Deerfield Lane in Gilbert, Arizona (Google Maps). Inset: Rael Sanchez (Maricopa County Sheriff”s Office).
An ordinary weekend evening in an Arizona family’s home turned into a scene of chaos when a homeowner’s relative allegedly shot his stepsister’s boyfriend in the neck, according to authorities.
Rael Sanchez, 21, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, as reported by the Gilbert Police Department. The unsettling event occurred on Saturday at a residence located in the 900 block of South Deerfield Lane in Gilbert, Arizona.
Authorities revealed that a teenage girl, residing in the house, was spending time with her 16-year-old boyfriend when Sanchez, described as “a relative of one of the homeowners,” was also visiting. Prior to 8 p.m., the couple was in the girl’s room when Sanchez entered and asked the boyfriend if he had his phone number.
The boyfriend replied that he did not, as recounted by the girl in court documents obtained by Arizona’s Family, which comprises CBS affiliate KPHO and independent station KTVK. When the boyfriend offered to give Sanchez his number, Sanchez reportedly laughed and exited the room.
The couple soon left the house as well, heading to a nearby basketball court. However, as they walked outside behind the home, the girl noticed Sanchez conversing with another family member. Sanchez then approached the couple, and the girl observed a gun tucked into his waistband, according to police reports.
The suspect was reportedly behaving oddly, slurring his words and trying to antagonize the boyfriend, making comments such as “you ain’t s—” and “you ain’t about s—.” The girl said she walked inside and told her family members about her stepbrother’s actions, but they told her Sanchez was just “checking” the boyfriend.
Sanchez and the boyfriend were still talking when she rejoined them, per the local news source. The suspect was holding a bag and repeatedly saying “take me to Asia.” The girl said her boyfriend looked scared.
The couple walked back inside, but still, Sanchez reportedly kept his focus on the boyfriend. As they walked, the girl recalled hearing a loud “pop” sound and then seeing her boyfriend fall to the floor.
The suspect allegedly ran away from the house and then drove away in his father’s pickup truck. Gilbert police officers were called, and they arrived at the home to find the victim with “serious injuries.” He was brought to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Authorities were unable to find Sanchez until the following morning, when Phoenix police officers reported seeing him in the city. Once detained, he was brought to an area hospital for injuries that are unclear, and once he was released, Gilbert police officers took him into custody.
Family members have said they believed Sanchez was experiencing mental health issues prior to the shooting. He was placed into the Maricopa County Jail under a $1 million cash-only bond.
The boyfriend was shot in the neck, with the bullet damaging his spine, the Arizona’s Family story said. When he woke up in the hospital, he reportedly couldn’t feel his arms or legs, and hospital workers told police he would likely be paralyzed if he survived the shooting.