DALLAS — State Rep. Rafael Anchia is demanding answers after a man on parole walked into Methodist Medical Center in Dallas and allegedly assaulted his girlfriend and fatally shot two hospital employees who tried to intervene.
And the Dallas Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating how the suspect was able to obtain a firearm as both a felon and parolee.
"There is no way he should have been eligible for any type of parole or release because he had been arrested a number of times," said Rep. Anchia, D-Dallas.
Methodist Medical Center is in Anchia’s district.
He is calling for an investigation into the State Board of Pardons and Parole that released Hernandez, a violent felon, nearly two years early.
Anchia wants to know why after Hernandez violated parole twice, the board didn’t revoke his parole to serve out his sentence. That would have kept him in prison until September 2023.
”We are going to get state auditor involved that is an independent entity and engaging in legislative oversight. This cannot happen again,” said Anchia.
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Anchia also wants an investigation into the Texas Department of Corrections that also could have kept Hernandez in jail longer after he tried to cut off his ankle monitor. He was released after only a hundred days.
Hernandez was allowed to walk into Methodist with an ankle monitor to visit his girlfriend. Police said he later beat her up and then shot and killed a nurse and case worker.
Methodist Hospital police said they had no idea he was on their campus.
"How do they not let Methodist police know that he is going to be on their campus. That is a massive failure," said Anchia.
ATF told WFAA that it's conducting an urgent trace on the firearm Hernandez used in the shooting. ATF said the Dallas Police Department is the lead agency investigating and they are assisting in the case.
The governor is in charge of appointing members of the Parole Board and overseas the Department of Corrections.
Gov. Greg Abbott was in North Texas on Wednesday for a campaign stop but made no mention of the shootings and refused to answer questions.
WFAA has repeatedly asked him for comment, but so far he has remained silent.
His challenger, Beto O’Rourke, addressed the shooting at a campaign event Tuesday night.
"I want to make sure that they stay behind bars that we prioritize public safety, protect our families especially our kids, those caregivers that we lost in DFW area and that we do better by and for one another," said O’Rourke.