Family gathers for Sanders memorial

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Dozens of family members and friends gathered Tuesday night to mark the one year anniversary of the shooting death of Nathaniel Sanders II by former Austin police officer Leonardo Quintana.

The crowd gathered in the parking lot of the Walnut Creek Apartments where a memorial is marked with a cross and many have continued to bring flowers throughout the year since the shooting.

Former officer Leonardo Quintana was cleared by a grand jury of any wrong doing in the shooting although he was suspended by the Austin Police Department for failing to turn on his dash camera and then fired from the force after getting a DWI.

At the memorial Tuesday evening, dozens of people sang and lit candles. They also read poetry and said prayers asking for peace and justice.

Nathaniel Sanders, Sr. was in the crowd honoring his son and called his killing a "murder."

Verna Smith, whose son, Sir Smith, was also shot by police in the incident, said she is still looking for closure.

"I just felt that car there and I saw those bodies and it just hurt. It's very, it's just painful," said Smith.

Her son recovered but did not attend the memorial.

"We need to be close to the police department, we need to be able to work with the police department and the community but we can't do that if these kinds of things keep happening and we don't get justice," said Smith.

Sanders' father and other family members wore t-shirts with a picture of Nathaniel and the words, "In Loving Memory."

Red and white balloons were released into the air during the memorial.

Many people in the crowd expressed concern over the findings of an independent review of the shooting which found Quintana used excessive force and acted recklessly in pulling the trigger while investigating a suspect vehicle. Two days before the shooting, neighbors had reported gunshots coming from the vehicle that matched the description of the one Sanders and Smith were sleeping in.

"I think it is very important that the community get together and send out a strong message to the city and to APD that something different has to happen with the police interaction with minority communities," said Austin resident Donald Williams.

An APD internal affairs investigation said Quintana did not violate the department's use of force policy. The Citizens Review Panel came to the same conclusion.

The Sanders family has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the police department, Quintana and the city. It is set for trial in July.