Man faces up to 44 years in prison after pleading guilty to 2020 shooting at Westgate in Glendale
Apr 4, 2022, 11:35 AM
PHOENIX — A 22-year-old man faces between 19 and 44 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2020 shooting at Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale that left three people injured.
Armando Hernandez on Friday pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the incident that took place on May 21, 2020.
Dozens of other counts were dismissed under a plea agreement.
Hernandez shot a 30-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl with an assault rifle after scouting out the shopping, dining and entertainment district at Glendale Avenue and the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway, according to information from the Peoria resident’s initial court appearance and the probable cause statement compiled by police in 2020.
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He told police at the time he wasn’t trying to kill anybody but wanted to inflict injuries, according to the probable cause statement.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said in 2020 that Hernandez targeted couples and was a self-described “incel,” or involuntary celibate.
He allegedly told the woman after shooting her in the leg that she was lucky he didn’t kill her.
Hernandez’s gun then malfunctioned and police were able to take him into custody.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
