Glendale’s Community Newspaper
www.glendalestar.com
Vol. 78 No. 28
Inside This Week
Westgate shooter sentenced to 44 years BY JORDAN ROGERS
T
Glendale Star Staff Writer
Health & Wellness Guide
NEWS................... 6 Fourth of July fireworks cause 8 fires in Glendale
July 14, 2022
he man in connection with a Westgate Entertainment District shooting on May 21, 2020, has received his sentence. Armando Hernandez received the maximum sentence of 44 years in prison for the mass shooting. The sentence will be followed by seven years of probation upon his release. “Those at Westgate on May 20 not only feared for their lives but three people received serious injuries,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. “A maximum sentence for these crimes is justice. “We are fortunate that the victims in this case survived and now a dangerous individual has been removed from our com-
munity.” In April, Hernandez pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree murder, class 2 felonies, and two counts of aggravated assault, class 3 felonies. Other counts were dismissed due to a plea agreement. On May 21, 2020, he shot a 30-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man and a 16-yearold girl in what was called a random attack. Hernandez, the then-20-year-old, who was armed with an AR-15, reportedly was trying to shoot 10 people. His assault rifle jammed before he could reach that goal. He told police that he identified as an “incel,” short for involuntary celibate. Hernandez also told police that he shot people to “gain respect.” The Maricopa
County Attorney’s Office said Hernandez targeted couples. Though Hernandez told police he wasn’t trying to kill anybody and rather cause injury, prosecutors later said that Hernandez had been planning a “mass casualty” attack over the course of three years prior to the attack. On May 20, 2021, just one day prior to the shooting, he took a video of himself driving. “Hello, my name is Armando Junior Hernandez, and I’m going to be the shooter of Westgate 2020,” he said, showing guns in his back seat. “This is to get back at society.” Hernandez will serve the maximum sentence in the Arizona Department of Corrections.
the 15-year-old, who was in the driver’s seat, and a 16-year-old, who was in the passenger’s seat. Detectives contacted the two in the car, and the 15-year-old told detectives that there was a gun in the car. After asking him not to reach for it, detectives tried to take the suspect into custody. He broke away and reached into the vehicle, where the gun was stored. Another officer, who saw the suspect was reaching for the gun, shot at the driver. The driver then stopped for a moment and again continued to reach toward the gun in the vehicle. The detective once
again shot at the driver, striking him multiple times. Officers performed life-saving efforts, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead because of the injuries. The 16-year-old was taken into custody without further issue. A gun was found near where the suspect was reaching. According to a tweet by the Glendale Police Department, no officers were injured in the incident. The investigation is ongoing, and it will be led by detectives with the Buckeye Police Department.
Stolen vehicle investigation leads to teen’s death BY JORDAN ROGERS
A
Glendale Star Staff Writer
FEATURES ........ 14 SpongeBob musical is a ‘pleasant surprise’
OPINION............................8 BUSINESS....................... 10 SPORTS ........................... 11 CALENDAR .....................12 FEATURES.......................14 RELIGION ........................16 YOUTH.............................18 CLASSIFIEDS ..................20
15-year-old boy was taken to the hospital and later died of his gunshot wounds after an encounter with Glendale police near 63rd and Glendale avenues. On the morning of July 6, officers took a stolen vehicle report on a red Toyota Corolla near the area of the 91st and Glendale avenues. Just after 1:30 p.m., detectives located the stolen vehicle at an apartment complex at the eventual area of the incident. The vehicle was occupied by two boys,
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