THE WOODBURY COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS RULED THAT TWO SIOUX CITY POLICE OFFICERS WERE JUSTIFIED IN THEIR ACTIONS DURING AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING ON FEBRUARY 22ND OF THIS YEAR THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF 30-YEAR-OLD VICENTE MANZO HERNANDEZ.
COUNTY ATTORNEY JAMES LOOMIS EXPLAINED THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT STARTED WHEN AN OFFICER INITIATED A TRAFFIC STOP OF A CAR DRIVEN BY TARA BUILZAK ON 14TH STREET AT 3:38 A.M:
HERNANDEZ1 OC………DRIVE BY SHOOTING. :17
THE OFFICER CALLED FOR BACKUP AND STOPPED THE CAR FOR DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT ON 18TH STREET AS THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT WAS OUT.
HERNANDEZ WAS RIDING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND DECLINED TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF.
LOOMIS SAYS THE SECOND RESPONDING OFFICER RECOGNIZED HERNANDEZ FROM A PREVIOUS TRAFFIC STOP BY HIS NECK TATTOO AND FOUND HERNANDEZ HAD AN OUTSTANDING ARREST WARRANT FOR FAILING TO APPEAR IN A FELONY DRUG CASE.
HERNANDEZ REFUSED TO UNLOCK THE CAR DOOR AND COME OUT AND BEGAN ARGUING WITH BUILZAK.
LOOMIS SAYS THE OFFICERS BECAME CONCERNED THE TWO SUSPECTS WOULD TRY TO DRIVE OFF, AND THE PRIMARY OFFICER DREW HIS WEAPON AND ORDERED THEM TO GET OUT OF THE CAR::
HERNANDEZ2 OC…….CONTROL OF THE CAR. :24
LOOMIS SAYS A STRUGGLE ENSUED WITH THE OFFICER PUNCHING HERNANDEZ IN THE FACE AND HERNANDEZ RESISTING AND TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR.
THE OFFICER HAD ONE LEG IN THE CAR AND ONE LEG OUTSIDE IT AS HERNANDEZ MANAGED TO GET A FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND MOVE THE CAR FORWARD:
HERNANDEZ3 OC…….ROLLED FROM THE CAR. :23
THE CAR CAME TO A STOP AND THE OFFICERS CALLED FOR MEDICAL HELP, REPORTED SHOTS WERE FIRED AND BEGAN FIRST AID TO HERNANDEZ.
LATER, HERNANDEZ DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.
LOOMIS SAYS BULIZAK CONFIRMED THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT AND SAID AN AUTOPSY OF HERNANDEZ WAS PERFORMED BY THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER:
HERNANDEZ4 OC……..IS COMPLETE. :16
LOOMIS SAYS THE PRIMARY OFFICER INVOLVED HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FIRE HIS WEAPON TO SAVE HIS OWN LIFE AND SAYS THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED.
THE IOWA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE HAS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE FATAL SHOOTING OF HERNANDEZ WAS LEGALLY JUSTIFIED.
PHOTO FROM POLICE BODY CAMERA
