Older brother of the late New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez panned multiple mass shootings at schools
Bristol CT July 26th, 2023 The older brother of the late New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez was arrested for allegedly planning school shootings at the University of Connecticut and Brown University.
According to the arrest warrant obtained by News 8, Bristol police said Dennis “DJ” Hernandez, 37, showed signs of being “gravely disabled and a danger to society.”
Hernandez’s ex-girlfriend told police that instead of using her car to go to his scheduled court appearance on July 7, the former UConn football player drove to Brown University and UConn’s Storrs campus, where he “went into a number of classrooms and buildings” to “map the schools out,” the arrest warrant states.
Another person told police they believed he traveled to the campuses to plan school shootings.
According to the arrest warrant, Hernandez posted threatening language on July 19 on his social media page, which read in part, “Will I kill? Absolutely. I’ve warned my enemies so pay up front.”
Police arrived at a home where Hernandez was believed to be later that day and tried to get him to come out of the home. The arrest warrant states he told officers he was “on foot, armed, and that if we approached him, he would kill us all [referring to police].”
Police said Hernandez eventually came outside and “began advancing towards the police with his hands outstretched to his side.”
“He began yelling shoot me, and disregarded the numerous police commands,” an officer wrote in the arrest warrant.
An officer then used a taser on Hernandez, causing him to fall to the ground. Police took Hernandez into custody at the scene, then he was taken to the hospital.
At the hospital, police said Hernandez continued making threats, including that he would “kill anyone who profited off of his brother Aaron.” He specifically mentioned ESPN, but not anyone specific, the arrest warrant states.
Hernandez was released from the hospital and taken to the Bristol Police Department, where he was charged with threatening and breach of peace. He is being held on a $250,000 bond and is due in court on Aug. 1.
Aaron Hernandez, a tight end for the Patriots, killed himself in 2017 in prison while serving a murder sentence. DJ Hernandez was arrested in March after he allegedly went to ESPN in Bristol in a car, possibly an Uber, and threw a bag containing a brick and a note over a fence and onto the property before leaving.
UConn released the following statement on Hernandez’s alleged threats against the Storrs campus.
“The UConn Police Department was aware of initial information related to the subsequent arrest of Dennis Hernandez by the Bristol Police Department. Police departments evaluate threats for credibility and imminence and the necessary resources are deployed to address the threat. At the time, there was no known imminent threat to UConn. The Bristol Police Department located Hernandez and took him into custody a short time later. The UConn Police Department treats any potential threat to our campus communities with the utmost seriousness. If anyone has any information on threats or concerns related to our campuses, they are urged to contact the UConn Police Department with this information as soon as possible.”
Brown University also issued a statement following Hernandez’s arrest.
“DJ Hernandez served as quarterbacks coach for Brown’s football team for one season more than a decade ago, in the 2011-12 academic year. On July 18, 2023, officers from the Bristol Police Department in Connecticut alerted Brown’s Department of Public Safety to alleged threats by Hernandez that referenced multiple schools. Brown Police implemented protective measures immediately and remained in contact with police in Connecticut, who arrested the suspect shortly thereafter. Despite reports of an alleged visit to Providence, our investigation to date indicates that Hernandez has not been on Brown’s campus in recent weeks. Given the nature of the alleged threats, we remain in contact with law enforcement partners in Connecticut taking the lead on the investigation.”
