The Dallas Police Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened on October 22, 2022, at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. This is the first officer-involved shooting involving a Methodist Health System Police Department officer in 2022. On October 22nd, 2022, at approximately 10:21 AM, 30-year-old Nestor Hernandez arrived at Methodist Dallas Medical Center to visit a patient who had recently given birth.
During that visit, the suspect pulled a handgun from his pants and hit the patient in the head multiple times. After the assault, a hospital employee, 45-year-old Jaqueline Pokuaa, came into the room to provide routine services to the patient. Pokuaa was attending to the patient, the suspect stood up and moved to the employee, and shot her once. Methodist Medical System Sergeant Robert Rangel was just a few doors down investigating a stolen property call when he and hospital staff heard what appeared to be a gunshot in a nearby room.
The investigation determined after the first shot, Rangel and hospital employee Katie Annette Flowers, 63, looked into the room to investigate the sound. Hernandez fired a second shot in the direction of Sergeant Rangel, then a third shot hit Flowers in the hallway. As Ms. Flowers ran down the hallway to get medical assistance, Sergeant Rangel took cover and called for help on his radio. The investigation shows Hernandez reportedly reloaded his weapon and started to leave the room, still armed with his gun. Sergeant Rangel fired one shot from his department-issued weapon and hit the suspect in his leg. Hernandez went back into the room after being shot, and after a standoff with police, he was taken into custody.
Tragically, both hospital employees died from their injuries. There were Dallas Police Officers at the hospital, who helped with taking the suspect into custody. No DPD officers fired their weapons or were injured. The patient assaulted by Hernandez prior to the shooting was treated for their injuries. The newborn child was in the room at the time of the incident but was not injured. Hernandez was treated at Methodist Hospital and later moved to another local hospital for further treatment. He has been charged with Capital Murder and aggravated assault.
On Monday, October 24, 2022, Methodist Health System Police asked the Dallas Police Department to take over the homicide investigation, in addition to the officer-involved shooting investigation. The Dallas Police Special Investigations Unit responded and continues to investigate the incident. The homicide investigation is also ongoing. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office was notified of the shooting and responded to the scene.
This video is heavily redacted out of respect for the victims and their families.
