LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Update: Officials confirmed that Casandra Peña-Romero succumbed to her injuries sustained from gunshot wounds.
She began her career as a Dispatcher with MEMS in July of 2021.
“Dispatchers are the first step of the life-saving work of emergency services, and Casandra was a true community hero,” said Greg Thompson, executive director of MEMS. “We appreciate the care she received at UAMS and the valiant efforts of our law enforcement partners to quickly apprehend the suspect of this heinous act. We mourn the loss of Casandra and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and colleagues. As an organ donor, Casandra continues her life-saving legacy.”
The suspect, Omar Peña-Romero, was brought into custody on Saturday night.
According to reports, he is a former employee of MEMS and the estranged husband of the victim. His employment with MEMS was terminated earlier this month.
Omar Peña-Romero's charges have been upgraded to capital murder.
MEMS will have mental health professionals available for employees during this difficult time.
A man is now in custody after a shooting at a Little Rock MEMS station on Saturday evening.
According to reports from the executive director of MEMS, the shooting occurred just before 5:30 p.m., in the parking lot of MEMS Station One, and left one person injured.
The female victim was quickly taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition.
The Little Rock Police Department worked alongside Texarkana Police and Arkansas State Police, and the suspect was taken into custody just three hours later after being stopped on I-30 in Texarkana, Arkansas.
23-year-old Omar Peña-Romero was transported by ASP to Central Arkansas and then into the custody of Little Rock police.
He has been charged with first-degree domestic battery, violating a no-contact order, and unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate a crime.
Officials with LRPD believe this incident was an isolated domestic dispute.
Peña-Romero is currently being held at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Center.
The investigation into this incident remains ongoing and we will update with more information as soon as it becomes available.