Family seeks answers after nephew of Donnie Sanders is killed in east KC apartment

Patrick Sanders made it a habit of peppering his aunt with questions about his deceased mother.

Sanders, 22, often asked Reshonda Sanders to play a video of his mother, Ka-Shay Sanders, dancing to the Cha-Cha Slide in 1996, two years before he was born. Ka-Shay Sanders passed away in 2004 when her son was an infant.

On Friday, Reshonda Sanders said she would cherish those memories after her nephew Patrick Sanders was found fatally wounded Thursday evening in east Kansas City.

Kansas City police have not released the name of the victim but relatives identified him as Patrick Sanders. His uncle, Donnie Sanders, 47, was shot and killed by a Kansas City police officer following an attempted traffic stop at 51st Street and Prospect Avenue in March.

Police initially said the officer believed Donnie Sanders had a weapon. But they later said he was unarmed.

In the wake of Donnie Sanders’ death, community activists renewed their calls for body cameras and de-escalation training.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker has asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate the fatal officer-involved shooting.

Reshonda Sanders said the two deaths have been an horrific experience for her family.

“It’s like being hit twice,” she said. “It’s unbelievable that this has happened.”

Just before 8 p.m. police were called to the Stonegate Meadows apartments in the 10400 block of East 42nd Street. Witnesses told police they heard gunshots and saw a man, who appeared to have been shot, running from a parking lot into an apartment building.

While waiting for police, witnesses said, they attempted to provide first aid to Patrick Sanders.

Arriving officers found him on the floor of an apartment building hallway suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics declared Sanders dead a short time later.

“We really don’t know what happened,” said Reshonda Sanders.. “We have no idea why he was in that apartment.”

Patrick Sanders had just turned 22. He lived in Raytown and was a warehouse worker in Kansas City. His death was Kansas City’s 155th homicide victim this year. That matches the city’s record, set in 2017.

“He was really caring; he had a big heart,” said his older brother, Dominique Sanders. “All he wanted to do is to live his life.

“He didn’t do anything to anybody so I don’t know who would do this. Nobody has a clue.”

Patrick Sanders graduated from Raytown High School in 2017. He enjoyed playing basketball and video games such as Call of Duty.

Reshonda Sanders said her nephew often joined his friends and would sprint up the steps at Paseo Academy.

Sanders was planning to continue his education. He frequently called his aunt, just to check in and to let her know how things were going.

Reshonda Sanders said she last spoke to her nephew at about 6 p.m. on Thursday. Sanders had experienced body aches and a loss of taste and smell, his aunt said. He was going to her house to pick up a medical form saying he was clear of coronavirus and could return to work after self quarantining.

She became worried when Sanders didn’t answer his phone or respond to numerous text messages.

Sanders frequently asked his aunt questions about his mother. Watching the video of her always made him smile and laugh and sometimes cause a tear to fall.

“He never met his mother,” she said. “That video was the closest thing that he had.”

This story was originally published October 17, 2020 at 10:59 AM.