Garcia-Zarate pleads guilty to federal gun charges in 2015 death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco

Garcia-Zarate now faces 10 years in prison.

KGO logo
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Garcia-Zarate pleads guilty to gun charges in Kate Steinle death
EMBED <>More Videos

Jose Inez Garcia Zarate has pleaded guilty to federal gun charges in the 2015 shooting on Kate Steinle on San Francisco's Embarcadero.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There are new developments involving charges against Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate in the deadly shooting of Kate Steinle in 2015. He's pleaded guilty to federal gun charges.

TIMELINE: How the Kate Steinle case unfolded

The trial begins in the case that ignited a national debate on sanctuary cities and illegal immigration.

Garcia-Zarate, an undocumented man, now faces 10 years in prison.

In 2017, a jury acquitted him of various charges for the shooting on San Francisco's Embarcadero.

He acknowledged holding the gun that killed Steinle, but said it fired accidentally.

RELATED: Kate Steinle suspect found not guilty, acquitted of murder and manslaughter

The case initiated a fierce national debate on immigration and sanctuary cities.

The federal gun charges had been pending since 2017 due to concerns about Garcia Zarate's mental health.

VIDEO: Legal expert explains why jurors acquitted shooter in Kate Steinle case

Legal Analyst John Creighton explains why the jury had a hard time even convicting Garcia Zarate on the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.