Nassau Police Fatally Shoot Rape Suspect

Frank Hernandez, 26, was seen by witnesses at about 10:50 p.m. Thursday forcing the woman into her vehicle as she left a Stop & Shop supermarket, said Nassau police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey. The victim had gone to the supermarket to buy ginger ale for a relative who fell ill when she was abducted, he said.

Hernandez “articulated certain threats that clearly indicated that if she did not comply, she would lose her life,” Mulvey said.

The witnesses reported that the man was wearing a ski mask and appeared to have a gun. They said they saw he and his victim drive toward the rear of the supermarket parking lot. A short time later, the vehicle was spotted leaving the parking lot, where officers confronted the man. Mulvey added that Hernandez’s pants were still around his ankles.

Police say he refused to comply with orders to leave the vehicle and then tussled with one of the officers. A second officer saw the suspect attempting to grab his colleague’s handgun and fired.

The first bullet went through Hernandez’s wrist and lodged in his abdomen. The second bullet struck Hernandez in his chest.

“The use of deadly physical force was completely justified,” Mulvey said, adding that the officers involved showed “great restraint” before opening fire. Hernandez had reached for one of the officers’ guns at first and was reaching for his weapon when police began shooting.

Hernandez was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police say they recovered a “simulated” handgun at the scene. It turned out to be a BB gun made to look like a Sig Sauer, but the legally-required orange tip was missing.

Investigators later determined that Hernandez had sexually assaulted the 22-year-old woman behind the shopping center.

The investigation was continuing. The sex assault victim and the two officers, who police did not name, were treated at hospitals and released.