In the early summer of 2020, the life of a young man with dreams of a professional football career was tragically cut short in Fort Smith, Arkansas. On June 1st of that year, 23-year-old Wright Sanchez Sando was fatally shot at the Pike Place Apartments located on North Albert Pike Avenue. Sando, a Black / African American male, was known affectionately as 'Sansann' to his family and friends.
Originally from Haiti, he was a passionate football player and a father to a young daughter.
The Fort Smith Police Department responded to the shooting and began a homicide investigation. In the days following Sando's death, authorities publicly identified 25-year-old Alexis Frankel as a person of interest they wished to question in connection with the shooting. The police urged anyone with information on Frankel's whereabouts to come forward to assist in the investigation. As of the latest available reports, no arrests have been made in the death of Wright Sando, and the case officially remains an open and ongoing investigation.
A notable incident occurred during the initial crime scene investigation when a Fort Smith detective accidentally discharged his firearm. The discharged round struck another detective in the hand and chest. Fortunately, the injured detective was wearing a bulletproof vest and sustained only minor injuries. The detective who fired the weapon was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into the accidental shooting, which was handled by the Arkansas State Police.
