2 Nurses Dead After Shooting at Dallas Hospital, Suspect in Custody

Police respond to an active shooter incident at Methodist Dallas Medical Center in Dallas on Oct. 22, 2022. Liesbeth Powers/The Dallas Morning News via AP

Two nurses were killed in a shooting at a hospital in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday.

The shooting occurred about 11:15 a.m. inside the Methodist Dallas Medical Center, located in the 1400 block of North Beckley Avenue. The hospital said in a news release Saturday afternoon that Methodist Health System police, Dallas police, and Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to the shooting.

“A Methodist Health System Police Officer arrived on the scene, confronted the suspect, and fired his weapon at the suspect, injuring him,” hospital spokesperson Ryan Owens said in a statement. He added that the suspect was taken to another hospital in undisclosed condition and is under police custody.

Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Nestor Hernandez, who is currently on parole for aggravated robbery. He faces capital murder charges in relation to the shooting, reported The Dallas Morning News.

Charley Wilkison, CEO of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, said on Twitter that the suspect fatally shot two maternity ward nurses.

In a statement, the hospital system noted that there is no ongoing threat. It expressed condolences for the deaths of the two nurses, whose identities have yet to be released.

“The Methodist Health System Family is heartbroken at the loss of two of our beloved team members,” its executive leadership said in a written statement. “Our entire organization is grieving this unimaginable tragedy. 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.”

Dallas police are assisting Methodist Health System police in an active investigation, the hospital said.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in a Twitter post called on the public to “pray for the family and friends of the victims and the entire ⁦[Methodist Health System] team.”

Dallas Police Chief Eddie García said on Twitter: “Our thoughts are with staff and victims of today’s events. We will do EVERYTHING to assist in this investigation. This is a tragedy, and an abhorrent failure of our criminal justice system.”

The shooting follows hospital shootings in September in Little Rock, Arkansas, that killed a visitor and one in June in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that left four dead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.