Two men, Marko Cinan, 23, and Justin Joshua Guzman, 22, have been arrested and charged with the murder of Anthony Sanders, a 30-year-old Marine veteran, who was fatally shot in the parking garage of the Galleria Mall in Houston. The shooting, which occurred on June 3, reportedly followed a confrontation between the defendants and Sanders over a disrespectful comment made towards Sanders’ fiancée.
The Events Leading to the Shooting
The tragic incident began when Sanders’ fiancée, who worked at the mall, was leaving her shift and entered an elevator with a group of men, including Cinan and Guzman. According to the fiancée, one of the men made an offensive comment, calling her a “stupid ugly b—.” The fiancée ignored the comment, but after exiting the elevator, she shared the incident with Sanders.
Furious, Sanders drove around the parking garage with his fiancée and their child in the car, looking for the men who had disrespected her. Sanders found them, and a verbal exchange occurred before both parties returned to their cars. However, as Sanders was leaving the parking garage, Guzman and Cinan, who were in a Chrysler 300, allegedly “brake-checked” Sanders. This caused a further escalation, and both cars stopped.
The Shooting
As Sanders got out of his vehicle, Guzman allegedly warned him, saying, “you don’t want to mess with me.” That’s when Guzman and Cinan allegedly pulled out guns and opened fire on Sanders. The affidavit reports that the suspects fired at least 14 rounds. After shooting Sanders, Guzman and Cinan fled the scene.
Sanders’ fiancée, who had been in the car with him and their child, screamed for help as police officers working at the mall quickly arrived at the scene. Paramedics rushed Sanders to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Fortunately, his fiancée and child were not injured during the shooting.
The Arrests and Claims of Self-Defense
After fleeing the scene, Guzman and Cinan were apprehended shortly afterward. During a police search, spent cartridges were found falling from Guzman’s lap as he stepped out of the car. Investigators also noted that the Chrysler the suspects were in had bullet holes from the shooting as they attempted to flee.
Initially, the suspects were released as the investigation was still developing. However, when they were later questioned, Guzman and Cinan allegedly claimed that the shooting was in self-defense. Guzman stated that Sanders had followed them and threatened them, using derogatory language and claiming he had a gun and a knife. Despite these claims, investigators found no weapons on Sanders at the scene.
Community Response and Family’s Call for Justice
The death of Anthony Sanders has left his family and the Houston community devastated. Sanders, described as a “devoted father,” was remembered fondly by friends and loved ones. His father, Frank Sanders, spoke to the media, saying, “We’re here for justice, justice for Anthony and also to stand for what he stood for as a person, and also to bring awareness to what’s going on in today’s society here in Houston.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Sanders’ family during this difficult time.
Legal Consequences for the Defendants
Cinan was arrested on June 25, and Guzman turned himself in to police on June 26. Cinan’s bond has been set at $1 million, while Guzman’s bond is set at $750,000. Both are facing murder charges, and their next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
