Police Officer Yandy Chirino
Officer: Hollywood Police Department, Police Officer Yandy Chirino
Date: 10/17/2021 Location: Hollywood, FL FACTORS (1,2,9,12,14,15,19,21)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Jason Banegas
Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Banegas was first arrested at 12 years old, has an extensive criminal history and was on probation having most recently been in a juvenile detention facility for selling cocaine. /Yes, Banegas illegally possessed a stolen firearm and was possibly in the middle of casing out vehicles to break into.
Mental Illness: Unknown.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. /None stated.
Race/Sex/Age: Latino/Male/18
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At approximately 1030 p.m. on October 17, 2021, Police Officer Yandy Chirino responded to a 911 call of a young male on a bicycle possibly breaking into vehicles in the neighborhood. Upon responding to the area of the call, Officer Chirino observed Jason Banegas, confronted him and initiated an arrest.
Actions taken by subject toward police: Banegas resisted arrest, physically struggled/fought with Officer Chirino before pulling out a concealed handgun and shooting him in the face, killing him.
Reactions by the police: Officer Chirino was rushed to the hospital by another officer but unfortunately, he did not survive the shooting. Banegas was tracked down and arrested.
How murdered? Officer Chirino was shot at close range while arresting a suspected criminal.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive?
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? Banegas’ ability to access his concealed weapon and Officer Chirino’s inability to stop him from doing so and possibly not even realizing Banegas was doing so as they struggled shows why officer’s want to see people’s hands and have shot suspects who make furtive movements to their waist area. Officer Chirino would have been justified to shoot Banegas if Chirino was aware Banegas moved his hand to his waist area.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Banegas was arrested and faces charges of “first-degree murder with a firearm, armed burglary of a dwelling, two counts of attempted burglary of a conveyance, possession of a firearm, resisting an officer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer.”
Miscellaneous: Officer Chirino was an American success story, moving to the US as a young child and becoming a citizen at age 10, while Banegas was an example of America’s broken criminal justice system, having been a career criminal since he was 12 and just released within the past month on probation from a ““high-risk” residential juvenile detention center.”
