By Harriet Ramos
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH, Texas — A suspect who shot and killed two nurses was detained after he was shot by a police officer at Methodist Hospital in Dallas Saturday morning, authorities said.
In a news release Saturday afternoon, a Methodist Health System spokesperson confirmed that the suspect fatally shot two hospital employees.
Methodist Health System Police, the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue responded about 11 a.m. to an active shooter call at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, at 1441 N. Beckley Ave.
“A Methodist Health System police officer arrived on the scene, confronted the suspect, and fired his weapon at the suspect, injuring him,” the hospital’s release said. “The suspect was detained, stabilized, and taken to another local hospital.”
“The Methodist Health System Family is heartbroken at the loss of two of our beloved team members,” hospital executives said in the statement. “Our entire organization is grieving this unimaginable tragedy. During this devastating time, we want to ensure our patients and employees that Methodist Dallas Medical Center is safe, and there is no ongoing threat. Our prayers are with our lost co-workers and their families, as well as our entire Methodist family. We appreciate the community’s support during this difficult time.”
According to reporting by Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV, the two victims were both nurses who were shot near the hospital’s maternity ward.
The names of the victims have not been released.
Dallas police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Nestor Hernandez and said he’s been arrested on suspicion of capital murder. Hernandez is on parole for aggravated robbery and had an active ankle monitor, Dallas police said.
Dallas police are assisting with the investigation, but the hospital has its own police department that is in charge, authorities said.
Police have not said what led to the shooting or why the suspect was at the hospital. It’s unclear how Hernandez was able to go to the medical center while he supposed to be wearing an ankle monitor
https://twitter.com/DPDChiefGarcia/status/1583978837141954560
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia pledged in a tweet that, “We will do EVERYTHING to assist in this investigation.”
“This is a tragedy, and an abhorrent failure of our criminal justice system,” Garcia said.
In a tweet Saturday afternoon, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said that two “healthcare heroes were shot @methodistdallas near labor and delivery this morning. .. Please pray for the family and friends of the victims and the entire @mhshospitals team.”
A tour of the hospital’s new Linda and Mitch Hart Breast Center for breast cancer survivors that was scheduled to start at noon Saturday was canceled, a spokesperson for Methodist Hospital told the Dallas Morning News.
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