Jason Banegas Pleads Guilty to 2021 Hollywood Officer Murder, Death Penalty Trial Scheduled

Jason Banegas, 22, pleaded guilty to fatally shooting Hollywood Police Officer Yandy Chirino during a struggle in 2021, foregoing a negotiated plea deal. Banegas, who was 18 at the time and on juvenile probation, shot Chirino in the face after the officer confronted him for breaking into vehicles. He claimed the shooting was an attempted suicide, not an intentional attack on Chirino, and said he panicked because he was carrying a concealed weapon and feared returning to jail. The case has moved into the death penalty phase, with jury selection underway to determine Banegas' sentence. Officer Chirino, 28, died at a hospital after the incident, and Banegas faces multiple charges including first-degree murder, armed burglary, and battery on a law enforcement officer. The shooting occurred on October 17, 2021, in Hollywood, Florida, and Banegas' plea marks a significant development in the prosecution of the case.