Erik Herrera was shocked to discover that his childhood friend was shot and killed last week by the San Fernando Police Department (SFPD). Officers, responding to an assault report, shot Hernandez, who was holding a shovel. He had allegedly threatened a woman sitting in a nearby car.
“I knew Jose Carlos Hernandez growing up in that same neighborhood, on those same streets [where] he was murdered,” Herrera, who now resides in Florida, told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. Though he had moved away, Herrera said he had kept in touch with Hernandez.
Another longtime friend, Nichole Farias, said she and Hernandez also grew up together. They lived in the same small apartment complex in the City of San Fernando, and both attended Sylmar High School. She remembers him as “so sweet, so kind – very mellow, very quiet, just always stuck to himself. … He was a chill guy.
“The last time I talked to him was in July,” she recalled. “We just messaged each other, ‘Hey, how are you?’ Just a quick check-in. But he never talked about his struggles. I didn’t even know that he was homeless – from what I heard [after the shooting] – maybe for the last year.”
Farias doesn’t know what led to his homelessness – she said she’s unaware of any mental health issues or other struggles. After his death, she learned that Hernandez was carrying the shovel because he reportedly did some landscaping work at night for a few local small businesses.
“To hear that he attacked somebody with a shovel? Definitely out of his character,” said Farias, who described his death as devastating. “I think he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The fatal shooting, which was caught on video, happened late Aug. 31 in the alley behind Library Plaza, near Third Street and Maclay Avenue. The 27-second video of the shooting, which was taken by a local neighbor, shows four SFPD officers in the alley – at least one appears to have their firearm drawn – as they approach Hernandez, who is seen holding a shovel downward as he walks away in front of the officers and goes briefly out of frame.
Hernandez then reappears and walks back toward the officers while holding up the shovel. That’s when the officers discharged their firearms; a neighbor reported hearing at least 15 shots. Hernandez was struck and fell to the ground; he was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Hernandez, who was known by the nickname “Terms” by Herrera and others, was 35 years old. He was often seen walking on Maclay Street.
Family Starts GoFundMe Page
Jesus “Jesse” Meza, Hernandez’ brother, created a GoFundMe page to help his family raise money for funeral expenses and “returning his body to our ancestral home.” They wrote a heartfelt message asking for a thorough investigation. They have also retained an attorney to help them look into the case.
“On August 31, 2026, Carlos was tragically killed by several police officers of the San Fernando Police Department. Our family does not yet have all the evidence or answers concerning what happened that night,” he wrote. “Carlos was much more than the person involved in a tragic police shooting. He was a son, a brother, an uncle and a deeply loved member of our family. His sudden death has left our family devastated and struggling to understand how and why we lost him…
“We want the circumstances of Carlos’s death fully and independently investigated and every person or public agency legally held accountable,” he added. “Because the investigation remains ongoing, we will not speculate about evidence we have not received. But we will not allow Carlos’s death to be forgotten or dismissed without a complete accounting of what happened.”
Community member Julio Martinez said he believes the police officers should have used less-lethal available options, such as bean bag rounds or a K-9 unit, and followed the department’s existing de-escalation policies. Martinez has been critical of SFPD in the past and took issue with the City Council’s lack of support for the previous Chief Fabian Valdez, who instituted a strict policy for SFPD officers to wear body cameras and attempted to utilize procedures for disciplining and removing officers who were “a problem.”
Information has not been released on whether officers were wearing body cameras while approaching Hernandez.
Since the departure of Valdez, who regularly held community meetings, the city has had an acting chief, John Perez, and hired on Aug. 4 interim Police Chief Anthony Miranda.
The SFPD has had a tumultuous past and its administration has had difficulty with the Police Officers Association (POA), which has resisted change and discipline.
“I think it’s devastating that we have a police department that ignited a rodeo shooting against an individual with a shovel. … Fifteen shots is not reasonable force,” said Martinez, adding that he’s glad the shooting is being investigated by the California Department of Justice (DOJ).
The City of San Fernando released a statement that said all inquiries would be directed to the DOJ’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team, which has launched an independent investigation into the local shooting.
“Maintaining distance equals safety,” added Martinez. “It appears they were escalating the situation instead of de-escalating by being too close to the individual. Unfortunately, if you have a mental health crisis in the City of San Fernando, the police officers will escalate.”
“That police department is full of corruption,” believes Herrera, who grew up near Pioneer Park, claiming that he and others “were beat down and arrested by the SFPD [while] growing up.”
Members of the San Fernando City Council met with the reported assault victim – who has not been identified – and her family outside her home, said San Fernando Vice Mayor Patty Lopez. She said they were there to express their support and help connect her with any needed resources.
Lopez described the situation as tragic for everyone affected, including Hernandez’s family.
“My deepest condolences go out to the family and loved ones of the individual who lost his life,” said Lopez, who said the fatal SFPD shooting was “deeply concerning” for the entire community.
“I understand the community has questions and concerns,” she added. “However, because there is an active investigation underway, I believe it is important to respect that process and allow the facts to be thoroughly and independently reviewed before reaching any conclusions.”
Anyone with information about the case can contact the California DOJ at (916) 210-2871.
For the Hernandez-Meza family’s GoFundMe page, go to: www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-lay-carlos-to-rest-and-seek-justice.
Editor Diana Martinez contributed to this article.