Dennis John Hernandez, elder sibling of the deceased New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, has been taken into custody under the suspicion of causing public unrest and making violent threats, as per the Bristol, Connecticut police department.
The apprehension occurred last Wednesday, as stated in the police department’s records. Hernandez was supposed to appear in court on July 7, but he is now alleged to have used his former girlfriend’s vehicle to travel to Brown University and the University of Connecticut instead. According to the police, an informant suggested that Hernandez visited these institutions with the intention of orchestrating shootings.
A police warrant indicates a concern that Hernandez was potentially planning school attacks. The University of Connecticut police, in a statement released on Tuesday, acknowledged being informed about the initial details related to Hernandez’s arrest, assuring that there was “no immediate threat” to the university.
In early July, several individuals approached the police, alleging that Hernandez had been behaving unpredictably. Among the concerns raised were numerous text messages, one of which allegedly stated, “we’re taking lives if isn’t paid up. It’s been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it’s almost point game.”
The police also reported that Hernandez made threats on social media, with one post reportedly stating: “Will I kill? Absolutely, I’ve warned my enemies so pay up front.” TMZ has reported that Hernandez had a confrontation with the police prior to his arrest, during which he threatened to kill all the officers if they approached him.
According to the police, Hernandez exited a building and started advancing towards them with his arms extended to his sides, shouting “shoot me” and disregarding the officers’ commands. The police used a taser on Hernandez, took him into custody, and subsequently transported him to a hospital for a medical assessment.
At the hospital, Hernandez allegedly continued to make threats, vowing to kill anyone who profited from his brother, and specifically mentioned ESPN. After being discharged from the hospital, Hernandez was formally charged and held on a $250,000 bond, with a court hearing scheduled for the following week.