Dallas police arrested a man who allegedly shot and killed two hospital nurses Saturday morning, according to multiple reports.
Police responded to an “active shooter call” at Methodist Dallas Medical Center at around 11 a.m., according to CBS News. They shot, wounded and subsequently arrested the suspect, Nestor Hernandez, upon arriving at the hospital, the outlet continued. Hernandez, 30, was reportedly on parole at the time of the shooting and wore an active ankle monitor.
Two employees were shot and killed in a Dallas hospital Saturday morning, hospital officials reported. The male suspect was shot and wounded by responding police, officials said. https://t.co/ZSW6ICqZkO
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 22, 2022
Hernandez was at the hospital visiting his girlfriend after she gave birth to their baby, WFAA reported.
The suspect had started making “ominous” calls and “acting strangely” while in the hospital, WFAA continued, citing the police affidavit. At one point, Hernandez allegedly hit his girlfriend in the head multiple times with a handgun. He then reportedly told his girlfriend “we are both going to die today” and “whoever comes in this room is going to die with us.”
Hernandez was charged with capital murder, WFAA reported.
“Our hearts [at the Dallas Police Department] go out to those affected by this tragedy,” Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia tweeted. “I’m outraged along with our community, at this lack of accountability, and the travesty of the fact that under this broken system, we give violent criminals more chances, than our victims. The pendulum has swung too far.”
Officials have not yet released details of the victims, but they were both nurses, according to a tweet from Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. (RELATED: At Least 4 Killed After Hospital Shooting In Oklahoma, Police Say)
“I am praying tonight for the loved ones and colleagues of the two nurses at Methodist Dallas Medical Center who were violently and senselessly taken from us,” Johnson tweeted Saturday night. “Our city loves our healthcare heroes, and our residents will be there for them as we grieve and seek swift justice.”
Hernandez had prior criminal convictions, including a first-degree aggravated robbery charge in 2015 that got him eight years in prison, according to WFAA. He had been released on parole in October 2021, the outlet reported.