Steven Lopez

Deadly force

Jaime Castilia Hernandez saw three men break into his neighbor's Ford Expedition. Hernandez called both police and his son, Officer Noe Hernandez, his across-the-street neighbor. Jaime shot over the heads of the men with a 12-gauge shotgun. One man may have pointed a weapon at Jaime. Jaime shot at him. Officer Hernandez responded, wearing a badge and raid jacket, and told the three men to surrender. One of the men, Lopez, pointed a gun at Officer Hernandez. Officer Hernandez shot Lopez fatally in the head. Officer Hernandez, of the Northeast Patrol Division, was sworn in December 1994.