Otts Hernandez
April 23, 2018
Victim of deadly shooting in local neighborhood identified
Published: Apr. 23, 2018 at 8:30 PM EDT
Police late Tuesday identified the victim of a deadly shooting Monday evening in a Killeen residential neighborhood as Otto Owen-Palacios Hernandez, 35.
Authorities received multiple reports of the shooting at around 6:30 p.m. Monday in the 800 block of Root Avenue.
When officers arrived they found the victim on the ground suffering from several gunshot wounds.
Justice of the Peace Claudia Brown later pronounced Hernandez dead at the scene.
An autopsy was ordered.
Police are reviewing witnesses to determine what led up to the shooting.
One woman said she heard several rounds of gunfire.
Police are asking anyone with information to call Bell County Crime Stoppers at (254) 526-TIPS.
Tips may also be submitted online.
April 24, 2018
by crimestoppers
Killeen Police Investigate a Homicide on Root Avenue
On Monday, April 23, 2018 at approximately 6:32 p.m. officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Root Avenue after receiving a 911 call about a shooting victim. Upon the officers’ arrival they located a non-responsive male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Justice of the Peace Claudia Brown pronounced the victim, Otts Hernandez deceased at 7:53 p.m. and ordered an autopsy to be performed at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas.
April 25, 2018
by crimestoppers
CORRECTION – Killeen Police Investigate a Homicide on Root Avenue
CORRECTION – April 25, 2018
The name of the deceased is 35 year-old Otto Owen-Palacios Hernandez.
On Monday, April 23, 2018 at approximately 6:32 p.m. officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Root Avenue after receiving a 911 call about a shooting victim. Upon the officers’ arrival they located a non-responsive male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Justice of the Peace Claudia Brown pronounced the victim, Otts Hernandez deceased at 7:53 p.m. and ordered an autopsy to be performed at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas.
Detectives are asking anyone who has information about this Homicide, to contact Crime Stoppers at 254-526-TIPS (8477) or go online at www.bellcountycrimestoppers.com. You can also download the P3Tips App for IOS or Android and give an anonymous tip. All information is confidential and anonymous. If your tip leads to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for this crime, you could be eligible to receive a reward up to $1,000 in cash.
Friends memorialize Killeen shooting victim on Facebook
By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula | Herald staff writer Apr 30, 2018
Otto Hernandez from Facebook
A memorial Facebook page is now set up for the 35-year-old man who was killed on Root Avenue in Killeen on April 23.
The page “R.I.P. Otts Hernandez” has a handful of followers and public posts on Facebook show he is missed.
The Herald has been unable to reach family and friends of Otto Owen-Palacios Hernandez. Friends refer to him as Otts.
More than 3,000 people were Facebook friends with Hernandez, according to his public Facebook profile.
The Killeen Police Department still are investigating the shooting and an autopsy was ordered by Justice of the Peace Claudia Brown after she pronounced Hernandez dead at 7:53 p.m.
Comments started pouring onto public Facebook pages the day after Hernandez’s death in the 800 block of Root Avenue.
“Just last night I had a dream that we was old, walkin’ thru the neighborhood, talkin’ like we did many early mornings," wrote Tommy Knocker. "Just before daylight.... Damn, it wasn't your time brother. .. I’ll miss you Otts Hernandez. Always going to be in my memory...”
On April 25 another friend, MKat Godwin, commented, “Thinking of you this morning and still at a complete loss over you. You were my friend and brother. Fly high Otts Hernandez R.I.P. May you find your peace and keep your eyes on us. One love always.”
The memorial page was started on April 27 “to mourn the passing of a good friend Otts Hernandez who recently has passed away. Otts we miss you.”
The memorial page includes a comment from the page’s unnamed founder: “Fly high Ottsie! Watch over us all while you’re up there!! Missing you a lot!”
Officers responded at 6:32 p.m. April 23 to a 911 call about a shooting victim and found Hernandez non-responsive and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, according to KPD spokeswoman Ofelia Miramontez in an April 24 press release.
No further information is available on the investigation as of press time.
“Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division are asking anyone who may have information to contact Crime Stoppers at 526-TIPS (8477), go online anonymously at www.bellcountycrimestoppers.com or text BELLCO along with the tip to 274637,” Miramontez said..
Text HELP to 274637 for help with the tip or text STOP to 274637 to stop the tip. All information is confidential and anonymous. A reward of up to $1,000 in cash is being offered if a tip leads to an arrest, she added.
The homicide was the second criminal fatal shooting of this year in Killeen.