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The Germantown man who was shot and killed by police early today was armed with an imitation of a semi-automatic handgun and knife with an 8- to 10-inch blade, according to a statement from Montgomery County Police.

Eliodoro Hernandez, 39, of the 12200 block of Eagles Nest Court in the Gunners Lake area, was shot by Officer Jesse Dickensheets, who fired two shots from his service weapon, police said. Officer Ana Hester, who also responded to the call, did not fire her gun, police said. Police did not say how many times Hernandez was shot.

The emergency dispatch center received a 911 call that disconnected at 2:40 a.m. and sent officers to the apartment to investigate as standard protocol.

About 3 a.m., the officers called dispatchers to report shots fired and request assistance. Police are unclear if Dickensheets or Hester reported the shots. Dickensheets and Hester were attempting to administer first-aid to the man in front of the apartment building when fire and rescue crews arrived. Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene with a gun, described as a silver and black BB repeater air pistol, and a knife with an 8- to 10-inch blade near his body, according to a release.

According to the release, the gun found near Hernandez's body, "is a replica of an authentic semi-automatic handgun."

Hernandez "was right outside his apartment on the grass," when he was shot, said Police spokesman Cpl. Stephen Galloza. Galloza said police are investigating if Hernandez pointed his gun at the officers.

The shooting was not a result of domestic violence or a burglary, Galloza said.

Hernandez's body was taken for autopsy to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Baltimore. Dr. Ana Rubio, who performed the autopsy on Hernandez said she "could not release the number of times he was shot."

Several neighbors reported hearing one or two gunshots around 3 a.m.

"I heard what I thought was a gunshot but I thought it was in my dream," Joe Simms, 32, said this morning. When he went to his apartment balcony after checking on his 11-month-old daughter, he realized something had happened.

"I got out here at 3:45, and it was already a circus," Simms said.

Lorena Perla said she had just gotten out of bed to get a cough drop when she heard two gunshots.

"It was terrible, it was one right after the other. They just sounded so close to us," said Perla, 28.

Perla and other residents described their neighborhood as quiet and said they were shocked that a shooting had happened so close to home.

"This is not typical of this area," property manager Lisa Franklin-Urroz said. "We have police officers who live here, and the reason they live here is because they don't want to deal with at home with what they see on the street."

Hester has been with the department two years and Dickensheets with the department for five years. They were placed on administrative leave as standard procedure, police said. The two officers are assigned to the Germantown station.

Montgomery County Police 5th District station Deputy Commander Lt. Ron Hardy, said he has "had minimal interaction" with the two officers involved.

Hardy said the two officers are on leave with pay.

"It is mandatory for the officers to be off three days" after an officer is involved in a shooting, Hardy said. Before the officers can return to full duty, Hardy said they "have to speak with a psychologist first."

Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070.