Aaron Hernandez's Brother Arrested For Alleged School Shooting Plans
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Dennis Hernandez, brother of former New England Patriots NFL football player Aaron Hernandez, watches during his brother's murder trial on Jan. 29, 2015, in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Dennis Hernandez, 37, was arrested last week for allegedly planning to kill people who he said had profited off his brother, late New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez. He had allegedly even visited two universities to “map the schools out,” according to arrest documents.
The report from Bristol, Connecticut, police says several people had come forward in recent weeks to warn police that Dennis Hernandez was “displaying very erratic behavior” and suggested that he was “gravely disabled and a danger to society.”
Officers arrested the former University of Connecticut football player at his Bristol home on July 18, the police report says. During the arrest, police say they shocked Hernandez with a Taser after he allegedly warned that “he would kill us all” if they approached him and emerged outside “with his hands outstretched” while yelling “shoot me.”
Hernandez was previously arrested in March for allegedly throwing a brick and handwritten note onto the ESPN headquarters campus in Bristol. One of the women interviewed in last week’s arrest report, who claimed to be his ex-girlfriend, told police he borrowed her car on July 7 saying he needed to drive to a court appearance related to the alleged ESPN incident.
The woman said he skipped the hearing to go “into a number of classrooms and buildings” at UConn in Storrs, Connecticut, and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, however. The UConn Police Department later confirmed her car was on campus that day, according to Bristol police.
“We’re taking lives if shit isn’t paid up,” read a text message from Hernandez to one of the people interviewed, per the arrest documents. “It’s been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it’s almost point game.”
Hernandez, who appeared to be targeting coaches and officials, allegedly told his ex “he has a bullet for everyone.” He apparently also published concerning “ramblings about those who have wronged him” on social media in recent weeks, according to his arrest report.
“Will I kill? Absolutely,” read one of them, per the report. “I’ve warned my enemies so I’ve paid up front.”
The arrest documents said he “continued to make threats” while briefly hospitalized on July 18 and said he “was planning to kill … anyone who profited off his brother Aaron.” He was booked on charges of threatening and breach of peace.
Hernandez is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.
His brother Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2015 and separately indicted in a double murder from 2012. He was acquitted in the latter case in 2017, but died by suicide behind bars days after the trial concluded.
Researchers who studied Aaron Hernandez’s brain have since found that he had “severe” chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disorder believed to be caused by repeated head injuries. CTE has been identified in the brains of other deceased football players and has been linked to violent behavior.
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
