ONLY ON ABC7NEWS.COM: Family plans memorial for woman shot, killed at San Francisco's Pier 14
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The brother of Kate Steinle, who was shot and killed on San Francisco's Pier 14, shared his thoughts on the suspect accused of killing his sister and a memorial planned for her in an exclusive interview with ABC7 News. The family has been very resilient throughout this process. For them, the day-to-day struggle is very real. But they continue to press forward, saying they can feel Kate's love in everything that they do.
For East Bay resident Brad Steinle, the past two and a half months following his sister's death have been hard to handle.
"You have your moments when, you know, it's a breakdown, it's sad times every morning when you wake up and you can't believe it's real," he said.
His 32-year-old sister was shot and killed while walking with their father at Pier 14 last month.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: SF Pier 14 shooting victim's brother speaks out
Convicted felon Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez will stand trial for murder.
The Steinle family says they're not against sanctuary city policies, but says San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is to blame for his interpretation.
"The biggest mistake is Mirkarimi's memorandum not to cooperate with ICE, not to at least communicate that hey we're about to release a seven-time convicted felon onto the streets that should be deported," Brad said.
The family recently filed a lawsuit against the sheriff and federal authorities, saying something needs to change.
"He's overstepped his boundaries, as far as sheriff, and has put the community in harm's way, and it resulted in Kate's death," he said.
Last week, Brad and his parents came to San Francisco to reflect on all that has happened.
"We loved going to Giants games, we loved the Embarcadero," he said. "But it's sad, it's sad to see the place that she fell and took her last breath."
In the coming weeks, the family says the Port Authority has plans to put up a memorial bench at the pier in honor of Kate.
And on it will be one of her favorite quotes, "Whatever's good for your soul, do that."
It's a message that her big brother hopes will resonate with those who visit.
"No matter what comes across, no matter what tragedy or obstacles you face in life, that you need to overcome it and make sure you live and love the best you can," he said.
A family now turning their grief and sorrow into a call for change.
ABC7 News reached out to the San Francisco's Sheriff's Office, but they have not returned our request for comment.
Click here for full coverage on the Pier 14 shooting.
Steinle's family and coworkers have set up online fundraising pages to raise money for charities that were important to her. Click here for details on her family's page and click here for information on her coworkers' page.
