By Aria Jones
The man accused of fatally shooting two healthcare workers inside Methodist hospital in October was indicted by a Dallas County grand jury Thursday.
Nestor Oswaldo Hernandez, 30, was charged with capital murder in the killing of Katie Annette Flowers, a 63-year-old nurse, and Jacqueline Ama Pokuaa, a 45-year-old social worker, who died after they were shot Oct. 22 inside the Dallas Methodist hospital in north Oak Cliff.
Hernandez was also indicted on charges of aggravated assault against a public servant and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the court records show. He remains at the Dallas County jail with bail set at $3 million. His attorney declined to comment.
Police have said that Hernandez, a parolee with an active ankle monitor, was inside the hospital’s labor and delivery wing for the birth of his child when he began to act strange and accused his girlfriend of cheating on him. He pulled a gun from his pants and began to hit her with it repeatedly while their newborn was in the room, police said.
Hernandez also declared, “Whoever comes in this room is going to die with us,” according to an arrest-warrant affidavit.
Pokuaa was shot when she went into the room to provide routine patient services, Dallas police Chief Eddie García has said. Flowers then looked inside the room and Hernandez shot her, he said.
A Methodist police sergeant heard gunfire and saw when Flowers was shot, police have said. Hernandez reloaded his weapon, then began to leave the room. The officer shot Hernandez in the leg and heretreated into the room, police said.
Hernandez surrendered after a brief standoff, police said.
Video footage released by Dallas police in November captured a woman barricaded with a gunman and their newborn, pleadingfor him to surrender peacefully and for officers to spare his life.
The exchange ensued after gunshots rang out inside Dallas Methodist Medical Center. Police and the mother of his child begged the wounded gunman to end the deadly stalemate, the footage showed.
The shooting also spurred awareness nationwide about the dangers that medical workers face on the job and prompted criticism from García and the public about the terms of Hernandez’s parole. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating how he acquired a handgun as both a felon and parolee.
