seven-time felon had been deported to Mexico five times

Francisco Sanchez, 45, said he picked up gun wrapped in a T-shirt

Kathryn Steinle, 32, was shot dead as she strolled along pier with father

The man accused of killing a woman at a popular San Francisco pier said the gun went off by accident after he found it wrapped in a T-shirt and picked it up.

Francisco Sanchez said he was walking on Pier 14 after taking sleeping pills he found in a dumpster.

He claimed to have found the T-shirt and picked it up, only for the gun inside it to go off three times, fatally injuring Kathryn Steinle, who was known as Kate.

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Random slaying: Kathryn Steinle (left), 32, was shot to death, apparently at random, by alleged shooter Francisco Sanchez (right) while walking with her father and a friend along a popular pedestrian pier on the San Francisco waterfront in broad daylight

'Then suddenly I heard that boom boom, three times,' he said, talking to ABC station KGO-TV in San Francisco.

He claims he only realized he had shot someone when he was arrested by police hours later, after discarding the gun in the bay.

Kate, 32, was killed on Wednesday as she walked with her father along the Embarcadero, which was busy with people.

The shooting led to Donald Trump renewing his calls for tougher immigration controls.

The presidential hopeful branded U.S. border controls an 'absolute disgrace' in light of the revelation that Francisco Sanchez, 45, had already been deported five times - and was recently released from jail by officials who routinely refuse requests to hand over illegal immigrants.

Intervention: Donald Trump, pictured on the campaign trail in New Hampshire this week, weighed in over Twitter

And Trump, 69, used the crime to repeat his calls for more restrictions on movement between Mexico and the United States.

From his Twitter page, the would-be Republican nominee shared a link to coverage of the attack and said: 'Our Southern border is totally out of control. This is an absolutely disgraceful situation. We need border security!'

He then continued: 'Our Southern border is unsecure [sic]. I am the only one that can fix it, nobody else has the guts to even talk about it.'

Opinions: Trump's strong words on Mexican border control accompanied a link to coverage of the San Francisco killing from right-leaning news outlet Breitbart

It came as immigration officials revealed that Sanchez should have been sent to them when he was arrested four months ago, but was let go in accordance with San Francisco's 'sanctuary city' policy.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement had marked him as an 'enforcement priority' who should have been handed over immediately.

But San Francisco officials admitted that due to a soft policy on undocumented immigrants, they do not always comply with the requests - which in Sanchez's case left him out on the streets on the night of the murder.

FRANCISCO SANCHEZ: 7-TIME FELON RELEASED ONTO U.S. STREETS Deported five times to Mexico Seven-time felon across multiple states, including: Texas, Oregon and Arizona Now accused of murder in California Reportedly has multiple aliases with several birth dates Had an ICE 'detainer,' meaning local authorities were flagged to hold him for immigration Was most recently released following a marijuana arrest four months ago Advertisement

Trump has been at the center of a firestorm this week after business partners and associates rounded on him for his anti-Mexican rhetoric.

He has several times characterized Mexicans as criminals and 'rapists', and pledged to build a solid wall along the nation's southern frontier if elected.

NBC, Macy's, Univision and stars of his Miss Universe beauty pageant all cut ties with him in light of the comments.

And on Friday, NASCAR joined the growing anti-Trump group by announcing it would no longer hold its end-of-season awards ceremony at a Trump hotel in Miami.

Half an hour after his opening salvo, Trump also added a message of condolence to Steinle's family, also taking the opportunity to add 'we need a wall!'.

He later challenged other presidential candidates to match his statements - including a direct challenge to Florida senator Marco Rubio.

Since the pier killing, reports have revealed how Sanchez was already on probation out of Texas and should have been sent to federal authorities as an 'enforcement priority' following a Bay Area arrest four months ago.

Records indicate Sanchez had seven previous felony convictions and has been deported to Mexico on five separate occasions.

Pledge: Trump has said that if he is elected president in 2016 he will oversee the construction of a solid wall between Mexico and the U.S.

Ready to rumble: Trump issued a direct challenge to Marco Rubio over the story

However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was never notified of that latest arrest before he carried out the alleged slaying,NBC Bay Area reports. And he was instead allowed to walk free from a San Francisco jail.

The arrest was on a charge of selling marijuana, for which prosecutors declined to charge him. The date on which Sanchez was last released has not been disclosed.

Standard protocol called for Sheriffs - who ran the jail where Sanchez was last detained - to notify police upon his release, but that never happened, notes NBC Bay Area.

Liz Sullivan, left, and Jim Steinle, right, parents of Kate Steinle, fight back tears as they recall how their daughter was shot to death right in front of her father's eyes during a family outing

'She was the most wonderful, loving caring person': Kate's brother Brad Steinle becomes emotional as he discusses his sister with a local reporter. 'I had the best sister,' he said

ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Sanchez had a 'detainer' on his status, meaning federal officials had flagged him for detention with notification sent to state and local authorities.

Sanchez's felonies, four of which involved drugs, took place across multiple states including Texas, Oregon and Arizona.

He also had a slew of phony birth dates and aliases, says a source at KNTV.

The victim's grief-stricken family members, meanwhile, have already spoken out in tribute of their beloved daughter and sister.

Just hours after the horrific slaying at Pier 14, the tight-knit parents and brother of Kathryn 'Kate' Steinle, were still coming to grips with the senseless killing, but had no trouble finding words to describe how special Kate was.

'She was the most wonderful, loving caring person and if anybody could take anything from this - if you love somebody, just tell them that you love them,' said brother Brad Steinle.

Loved by all: Sullivan said her daughter, who went by the name Kate, was 'strong-willed and beautiful' and was loved by all of those who knew her

'Dad, help me': Steinle's father immediately began CPR before paramedics rushed his daughter to the hospital

'We loved Kate, and I will love her till the day I die,' Brad told ABC 7 as he fought off tears. 'I had the best sister.'

Kate's mother, 69-year-old Liz Sullivan, recounted the first moments of their family's nightmare to the San Francisco Chronicle. 'She just kept saying, "Dad, help me, help me.'''

Her father immediately began CPR before paramedics rushed her to hospital.

'She fought for her life,' Ms Sullivan said.

She added that the killing was unbelievable and surreal. 'I don't think I've totally grasped it,' she said.

Jim Steinle said the shooting happened so fast it was hard to fathom it was actually happening.

'There was a pop, and Kate went down,' 68-year-old Jim Steinle tearfully recalled on Thursday.

Weapon found: Divers sent to the murky depths of the waters around Pier 14 discovered a weapon, but it was not immediately clear if it was the one used to kill Steinle

Quick-thinking: Police Sergeant Michael Andraychak said witnesses snapped photos of Sanchez immediately after the shooting and the images helped police make the arrest while he was walking on a sidewalk a few blocks away

'There were no words exchanged between the suspect and the victim,' said Sgt. Michael Andraychak. 'The victim said something to her family members to the extent that she didn't feel well, that she just realized something had taken place and she fell to the ground'

Police arrested Francisco Sanchez about an hour after the shooting. Authorities said he does not yet have a lawyer.

According to CBS San Francisco, the 45-year-old was on probation out of Texas at the time of the shooting.

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After making the arrest, divers were sent into the murky depths of the bay around Pier 14 and discovered a firearm, though it was not immediately clear if it was this crime's murder weapon.

Police Sergeant Michael Andraychak said witnesses snapped photos of Sanchez immediately after the shooting and the images helped police make the arrest while he was walking on a sidewalk a few blocks away.

Kate's family told police the shooting was completely random.

'There were no words exchanged between the suspect and the victim,' said Sgt. Michael Andraychak.

'The victim said something to her family members to the extent that she didn't feel well, that she just realized something had taken place and she fell to the ground.'

Prior to her death Kate had just sent her mother a photo of her, her father and a family friend on the scenic waterfront of the Embarcadero. Shortly after her mother was by her side in a hospital room.

'It was a battle, but she just didn't make it,' Ms Sullivan said.

'It was horrific, but we knew the minute they came to talk to us, it wasn't good. But it was so nice to go in and be with her.'

Ms Sullivan told The San Francisco Chronicle that she softly touched her daughter's face before she died and remembered a time when her daughter was little and she used to decorate her with face paint.

'We have deep faith,' Mr Steinle said

'Our faith isn't to the point where we're ready to forgive,' he added.

Beautiful bridesmaid: Here Kate is pictured celebrating as a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding

She'll be missed: Kate, pictured here with a male friend, was taken to a hopital after the shooting where her mother caressed her face one last time

See more at KRON4

World traveler: Kate is pictured here on one of her travels around the globe, touching the hearts of everyone she ever encountered

Neighbor Patrick Dunlap, 74, is also deeply mourning the death of a little girl he watched grow up and become a 'very personable young woman'.

He says he remembers her coming over to his house when she was just six years old to deliver flowers to his daughter who had broken her arm.

'This little girl looked up and said: "This is for the girl with the broken arm,''' Dunlap said on Thursday as he joined friends and her parents to mourn her death.

'We're very fortunate that we are an extremely close family,' Ms Sullivan said.

'She would come and spend the night several nights. It was just so, so special. We would take naps together. I'm so thankful for that.'

Family bond: Kate Steinle with brother Brad. The family of a San Francisco woman who was killed in a seemingly random act of violence is mourning her loss as police continue to investigate

Thursday, police announced that Texas resident Francisco Sanchez was arrested in connection with the shooting death of 32-year-old Kate, pictured here with her loving parents and her brother. 'We knew every day was to be cherished,' said her mother

Happier times: Kate Steinle poses with her mother Liz, her father Jim, and her brother Brad at her father's 65 birthday celebration in Pleasanton

'We always thought we've been so blessed.'

The family has begun making funeral arrangements

The area is one of the busiest tourist destinations in San Francisco.

The slaying was particularly shocking because it happened in broad daylight in a place where tourists gather to take in the views, joggers exercise, and families push strollers at all hours.

Two television news crews reporting on the killing were later mugged at the scene, with a masked gunman pistol-whipping a camera operator.

The robber took cameras from KNTV and KTVU before he jumped into a black BMW and fled.

Kate previously lived about 40 miles east of San Francisco and had recently moved just blocks from the waterfront and worked for a medical technology company called Medtronic.

Eric Epperson, a spokesman for Medtronic where Kate was employed, said the company is 'saddened by this tragedy. Our thoughts are with Kate and her family during this time'.

'We knew every day was to be cherished,' Ms Sullivan said.

Armed robbery: Two television news crews reporting on the killing were later mugged at the scene, with a masked gunman pistol-whipping a camera operator a day after the incident

The scene: Reporter Brian Flores was introducing the story and preparing to go live to Liu when she appeared startled and said 'Hold on, hold on, wait', before disappearing from the screen, as KNTV reporter Kris Sanchez and camera operator Alan Waples, 54, were being robbed at gunpoint by a young man

Startling crime: The assailant came up behind Waples at the pier, who was was adjusting Sanchez's lighting, and put a gun to his head