DA: Officer was justified in deadly 2020 shooting at Discovery Village in Redding

REDDING, Calif. — Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett has found that a Redding police officer was justified in the deadly shooting of Dolores Hernandez on December 2, 2020.

According to Bridgett, officers were called to the Discovery Village Shopping Center just before 6:30 p.m. for a report of a woman causing a disturbance inside Mod Pizza.

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Corporal Garrett Maxwell and Officer Matthew Bruce responded and found Hernandez sitting in her car outside the restaurant. Officer Bruce approached the driver's side window while Corporal Maxwell spoke with a security guard about the incident.

Officer Bruce noted that as he approached the car, Hernandez was playing music very loudly. When Officer Bruce knocked on the window he says Hernandez did not respond, instead she continued to stare ahead.

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After repeated knocking, Hernadez rolled down the window approximately two inches and turned down the music. When Officer Bruce asked her what was happening she replied that he had no right to speak to her.

Officer Bruce says he continued to try and speak with Hernandez and eventually she told Officer Bruce that he and all other police officers were "murderers" and would "be brought to justice in the name of Jesus Christ."

Hernandez refused to provide Officer Bruce with her driver's license and rolled up her window. Hernandez then put her car in reverse and began backing out of the parking spot.

The officers then began walking away from her car toward the sidewalk. Officers say they planned to let Hernandez leave since that would have ended the conflict.

As the officers walked away Hernandez drove forward towards them screaming "F**k you" and making an obscene gesture. Officer Bruce then attempted to stop and arrest Hernandez for trying to assault them with her car.

As he tried to use his baton to break the driver's side window in order to pull Hernandez from the car she put the car in reverse backing over his leg.

While Officer Bruce was trying to break the window, Corporal Maxwell used a knife to try and puncture the back tire of the car. Corporal Maxwell says when he saw Officer Bruce become pinned under the car he became concerned that Hernandez would drive over Officer Bruce again, killing him.

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Officer Bruce called for Corporal Maxwell to "shoot her," however Maxwell says he had already decided deadly force was necessary. Maxwell fired a total of seven rounds through the driver's side window hitting Hernandez.

Hernandez became incapacitated and the car rolled forward hitting a parked car and freeing Officer Bruce.

Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene and Officer Bruce was treated for his injuries.

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Prosecutors say, Hernandez had traveled to Redding from Marysville on the day of the shooting and had no known connections to Redding or Shasta County. Hernandez had a documented history of mental health issues and had frequently been confrontational with officers.

Prosecutors say because Hernandez was actively assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon there was an "imminent threat" and the actions of Corporal Maxwell were justified.