Jurors find Lincoln man guilty of shooting DHHS caseworker

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Lincoln man was convicted Friday for shooting a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services caseworker.

A jury found 38-year-old Brent Lopez guilty of first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault, two counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, and two counts of third-degree assault.

Jurors deliberated for about two hours.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln man accused of punching teens, shooting DHHS worker facing more charges

On Sept. 26, two DHHS child welfare caseworkers went to Lopez’s home in the North Bottoms neighborhood.

As they approached the house near Seventh and Y streets, Lopez opened the front door and fired at them, court documents say.

One of the caseworkers was shot in his thigh and buttocks, police said.

His wounds were not life-threatening.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln Police say DHHS workers knew man may be armed before shooting

Lopez told the caseworkers that he shot at them because “I thought you were the cops,” an arrest affidavit says.

Officers had visited Lopez’s home earlier that day on a welfare check requested by his children’s mother.

Lopez posted a video of the interaction on YouTube. In it, he said he felt threatened by an “angry mob.”

Two days before the shooting, Lopez was fired from the Air Park Rec Center after punching two teenagers.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln rec center employee cited in fight with two teens, police say

Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced June 17.