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Springdale officer cleared after police-involved shooting

Based on the review of the materials in the report, it was determined that Officer Hernandez was justified in employing deadly physical force.

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Matt Durrett, District Prosecutor for the Fourth Judicial District in Washington and Madison Counties issued a letter to Chief Peters with the Springdale Police Department on June 17 regarding an officer-involved shooting on May 28.

Based on the Durrett’s review of the materials in the report, he determined that Officer Miguel Hernandez was justified in employing deadly physical force.

Durrett says that Hernandez’s actions do not warrant a criminal charge.

Officer Hernandez was responding to a 911 call in reference to an armed person, later identified as 30-year-old Sina Doctor, just before 5 p.m. on Laura Street just south of E Huntsville Avenue. 

Numerous times throughout the call, the individual who placed the call made reference to a female with a shotgun and multiple times implored officers to get there before she killed somebody, according to Durrett.

Lt. Jeff Taylor says Doctor was armed with a shotgun when she was shot by police. Police say although she had a gun, she did not shoot.

Officer Hernandez’s MVR shows him arrive and park on the edge of the property.

As he got out, Doctor can be seen walking in the yard and pointing a long gun directly at Officer Hernandez.

It was at this point that Hernandez fired multiple shots, hitting her twice.

Based on the information, Durrett says it is clear that Doctor posed a danger to Officer Hernandez and others.

Durrett says that any reasonable individual in the situation Officer Hernandez faced would have felt that he or she was in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury.

Therefore in Durrett’s opinion, Officer Hernandez had no alternative but to employ deadly physical force.

The District Prosecutor has closed the investigation into Officer Hernandez’s actions.

Neighbor Conner Lane said he heard multiple shots.

“We were cleaning kayaks and we just kind of heard four, five gunshots and we were kind of curious as to what it was,” Lane said.

Lane says neighbors quickly gathered in the street to find out what was going on.

“Then everyone started running out here and I heard a bunch of sirens and I was pretty much it,” Lane said.

Lane says he has lived in the neighborhood for over a year and he and his girlfriend feel safe as they walk the area regularly.

“This is the strangest thing that’s ever happened for sure,” he said.

Credit: Springdale Police Department
Springdale Police Officer Edgar Hernandez

Taylor acknowledged the recent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis but says he does not believe that this case is similar. 

"We don’t think that this is something that is anything like Minneapolis at all, this is something completely separate and this is just an unfortunate event,” Taylor said.

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