Pregnant 16-year-old killed in buckeye shooting linked to breakup, police say
A police review is underway amid allegations of prior domestic violence concerns
An 18-year-old man is facing multiple charges after allegedly shooting and killing his pregnant 16-year-old girlfriend in Arizona, in an incident that also left two other women critically injured.
According to the Buckeye Police Department (BPD), officers responded at around 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, to reports of a shooting outside a home on Elwood Street in Buckeye. At the scene, they found three female victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victim, identified as Rylee Montgomery, 16, who was pregnant at the time, died at the scene along with her unborn child.
A 17-year-old pregnant girl and a 22-year-old woman were also seriously injured and transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Police later confirmed that two men were seen fleeing the area before officers arrived.
Investigators identified the suspected shooter as 18-year-old Michael Sanchez, who was reportedly in a romantic relationship with Montgomery.
Authorities said he was tracked to a residence in Avondale, where he was arrested with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Avondale Police.
Sanchez has since been charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree murder.
In a statement shared online, the Buckeye Police Department said detectives worked over several hours to identify and locate the suspect following the shooting.
A GoFundMe organized by the victim’s family identified the injured 17-year-old as Rylee’s friend Abby and the 22-year-old victim as another friend, Mya. The fundraiser also stated that Abby was forced to deliver her baby prematurely while hospitalized in critical condition.
Rylee’s stepmother, Amy Montgomery, alleged on the fundraising page that Sanchez had previously threatened and physically abused the teenager following their breakup earlier this year.
Those claims have not been independently verified by authorities.
She also alleged that police had been contacted multiple times regarding concerns about Sanchez prior to the fatal shooting.
The Buckeye Police Department has acknowledged receiving a delayed report of a prior domestic violence incident and said the matter is under review.
Investigations into the shooting are ongoing.