COLORADO SPRINGS — A Colorado Springs family is seeking justice for Anthony Padilla. The 37-year-old was killed in March last year at an apartment complex on the south east side of Colorado Springs.
The El Paso County Coroner's report shows he was shot from behind, however, the shooter was not charged.
Padilla's family says they want answers from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's (DA) Office.
The word "horrific" is what family members said about their experience of losing Padilla. Their message to the DA's Office Wednesday was clear, holding the law enforcement and district attorney's office accountable.
Padilla's parents remember the day the shooting took away their son's life. The family says Padilla lived at the Village East apartment complex. They say a man shot Padilla inside the apartment complex's laundromat.
According to his family, Padilla was taken to the hospital where he later died.
"We are here to clear Anthony's name and bring the light to officers and DA who's responsible," said Ian Padilla, Anthony's brother.
Three months after Padilla's death, the family says they met with the DA's Office.
"After the meeting with the family, we had to understand that Anthony was a victim, and they are going to fight for him," said Ian Padilla.
The DA's Office responded to News5 in an email saying the investigation was presented to the grand jury in October, 2023. It says after the case was presented, no true bill was returned, meaning no charges were issued at the time. The case has been closed since then.
But, one of the things the family wants to see is for the case to be reopened.
"Reopening a case…opening investigation…yes…however, if this case was gone to grand jury, no true bill came back, it cannot come back and try again," said Peter Blink, an attorney with Clifton Black Law Office. "...Let's say it was homicide and there was no weapon, grand jury says it's not enough. Two years later, you ended up finding the weapon and there's finger print on it. At that point, the district attorney's office could bring charges again."
The family goes on to say the sheriff's office's response to the shooting wasn't enough.
News5 has requested the body camera footage from the sheriff's office from when deputies responded. As of the publishing of this web story, we have not heard back.
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