Cops: Guy Who Killed 2 at Dallas Hospital Was There for Birth

Nestor Hernandez, 30, allegedly opened fire after accusing his girlfriend of infidelity
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 25, 2022 1:59 AM CDT
Cops: Man Who Killed 2 at Dallas Hospital Was There for Baby's Birth
Methodist Health System Chief of Police Glen Fowler answers questions from the media at police headquarters, in Dallas, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, about the shooting at Methodist Dallas Medical Center over the weekend that killed two hospital employees.   (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

The man who fatally shot two Dallas hospital employees over the weekend opened fire after accusing his girlfriend, who had just given birth, of infidelity, authorities said. Jacqueline Pokuaa, a 45-year-old social worker, and Katie Annette Flowers, a 63-year-old nurse, were killed in Saturday's shooting at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, the AP reports. Authorities have said Nestor Hernandez, 30, opened fire around 11am while at the hospital for the birth of a child by his girlfriend. Hernandez, who was on parole from prison and had been granted permission to be at the hospital while wearing an ankle monitor, was shot and wounded by a police officer, authorities said.

“In my opinion, this is a failure of our criminal justice system," Dallas police Chief Eddie Garcia said at a news conference Monday. "A violent individual such as this should not have been on ankle monitor and should have remained in custody.” Hernandez arrived at the hospital around 10:20am to visit the woman in delivery and began to strike her repeatedly in the head with a handgun, Garcia said. According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by WFAA-TV, Hernandez started hitting his girlfriend after accusing her of infidelity. Hernandez then started making “ominous” calls and sending text messages to his family, told his girlfriend that they were both going to die and said “whoever comes in this room is going to die with us,” according to the Dallas TV station's account of the affidavit.

He shot Pokuaa when she came into the room to attend to the woman, then shot Flowers after she looked in the room upon hearing gunfire, Garcia said. Hospital police Sgt. Robert Rangel saw Flowers get shot, called for backup and took cover outside the room where Hernandez was reloading his gun, the chief said. When Hernandez emerged, Rangel shot him in the leg and, after a standoff, police took him into custody, Garcia said. Garcia said the woman Hernandez struck was treated for her injuries and that a newborn child who was in the room was not hurt. Hernandez has been charged with capital murder. Authorities said that after the shooting he was treated at Methodist and then taken to another medical facility for further treatment.

(More Dallas stories.)

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