A Cuban security guard fatally shot a wheelchair-bound man outside a banquet hall in Sunrise, South Florida, early Sunday morning, according to local police reports.
The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Francisco Navarro Sánchez, originally from Havana, Cuba, resides in Miami-Dade County. He is also referred to in some reports as Francisco Sánchez.
The tragic event unfolded around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. Navarro was on duty as a security guard during a birthday party attended by over 100 guests at the Five Stars Banquet Hall, located at 6072 West Oakland Park Boulevard, as stated by Sunrise Police.
According to the arrest report, the victim, Kendrick English, aged 48, sought to enter the venue at the urging of several attendees but was not on the guest list. During the ensuing argument, English allegedly insulted Sánchez, who then pulled out a Glock 19 pistol, fired multiple shots, and fled the scene, as reported by local media citing police sources.
English sustained six gunshot wounds: one in the neck, two in the abdomen, two in the left shoulder, and one in the forearm. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries.
Detectives at the scene contacted Navarro by phone, and he voluntarily returned to surrender on the same day.
On Monday, he was formally charged with first-degree murder in Broward County. A judge denied him bail, and he remains in custody at the main jail in Broward County, located in Fort Lauderdale. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Francis I. Viamontes.
English had been living with significant paralysis from the chest down and relied on an electric wheelchair for mobility. His paralysis occurred in 1995 at around 17 years old during a football game while playing as a linebacker at Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale. The community supported him since then, and in 2004, he received a specially adapted van as a donation to enhance his mobility.
During a vigil held in his memory on Sunday night at the location where he was killed, family and friends described English as a father figure to many and openly questioned how someone in his physical state could pose a threat.
"I don't know what the supposed threat was," commented Sheronda Williams-Perry. "How do you shoot a defenseless person three to five times?"
"It's a terrible loss. He didn't deserve this. He was a beloved friend and would have done anything for others. He will be deeply missed," one friend expressed.
Another friend, Alexis Dorrell, shared, "He was a gentle soul, a soul at peace. The last person I thought would encounter such a fate. I simply couldn't believe it. Still... I can't believe it."
Questions about the Fatal Shooting in Sunrise, Florida
Who was the victim in the Sunrise shooting incident?
The victim was Kendrick English, a 48-year-old man who was wheelchair-bound due to paralysis from a football injury sustained in his youth.
What charges is Francisco Navarro Sánchez facing?
Francisco Navarro Sánchez has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail in Broward County.
What led to the shooting outside the banquet hall?
The incident followed an altercation where the victim, Kendrick English, allegedly insulted the security guard, Francisco Navarro Sánchez, who then shot English multiple times.