Death mystifies family of shooter

It was a typical Thursday night for four Air Force buddies — some drinks and then back to the off-base apartment complex where three of them lived.

But for Corey D. Hernandez, 21, things will never be the same.

He's accused of shooting a friend early last Friday during a game of “trust,” something his family says they knew nothing about.

“We don't know many details. We only know what has been reported,” his uncle, Raul Sandoval of Costa Mesa, Calif., said in an interview this week.

Hernandez's family described the airman as “a caring and loving human being.”

After flying to Omaha, Sandoval and Hernandez's grandmother, Maria Sandoval, of Walnut, Calif., were trying to make sense of what happened. Hernandez, an Offutt Air Force Base airman first class, faces up to 70 years in prison while a second family mourns.

“This is a terrible tragedy for both families,” a tearful Maria Sandoval said. “I feel for the other family.”

Hernandez, of Walnut, Calif., is charged with manslaughter and use of a weapon to commit a felony in the Dec. 11 death of Senior Airman Michael Garcia, 23, who was killed by a gunshot to the head.

Hernandez is devastated and wants to write a letter to Garcia's family to apologize, his lawyer said.

“He wants to express his sorrow immediately, but we want to make sure it's the right way,” said attorney James Martin Davis.

At 12:47 a.m. last Friday, Bellevue police were called to the Gateway Park Apartments near Cornhusker and Fort Crook Roads, where three of the Offutt airmen — but not Hernandez — lived.

Assigned to Offutt only since April, Hernandez worked with one of the other airmen, who had introduced him to Garcia.

Police Capt. Herb Evers said the four men had drinks at a bar before going to the apartment shared by Garcia and one of the others. A short time later, Garcia was dead.

Police said Hernandez and Garcia were playing “trust” — a game national news reports say some servicemen consider a confidence-building exercise: Point a gun at a comrade and ask, “Do you trust me?” Military officials say the game, which has resulted in at least five deaths, violates basic weapons safety rules.

Hernandez's lawyer calls the shooting “totally accidental” and said the airmen didn't know that a round was in the gun's chamber. Hernandez told Davis that Garcia took the clip out of the gun, placed it on the kitchen counter and told him, “I trust you. Point it at me, and now shoot.”

The other two airmen in the apartment declined to comment Thursday.

Hernandez, who's scheduled back in court next month, was released from the Sarpy County Jail after posting $20,000, 10 percent of his $200,000 bail.

Raul Sandoval met with Hernandez after his release and said his nephew is “taking it very hard.”

“We don't know if it's fully processed, and that worries us. It's hard to know how he's really feeling,” Sandoval said.

Since his release Tuesday, Hernandez has received counseling at Offutt and was expected to undergo a psychological evaluation, Davis said.

Hernandez was born in California. Growing up, Hernandez, his mother and a younger brother and sister lived with his grandmother in Walnut, Calif., east of Los Angeles.

Maria Sandoval described her grandson as a good student who liked to play basketball. After high school, he attended Mt. San Antonio College, one of California's largest community colleges.

In July 2008, after a year of college, he joined the Air Force.

Maria Sandoval said her grandson was following in the footsteps of his father, who also served in the Air Force. He was stationed in Wichita Falls, Texas; Biloxi, Miss., and San Antonio before being assigned to Offutt, where he worked in communications.

Hernandez “took great pride in being part of the armed forces,” his uncle said.

“One of the consistent feelings we are all having is how and why this horrible thing can happen to such a good kid,” said Raul Sandoval. “It's been really tough. Everyone is devastated. Our hearts go out to the Garcia family.”

Contact the writer:

444-1336, leia.baez@owh.com

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