Dennis Hernandez, the older brother of former NFL tight end Aaron Hernandez, is spending some time behind bars following his arrest on July 18 in Bristol, Connecticut. The 37-year-old, who also goes by DJ, was taken into custody for allegedly planning two school shootings and threatening the safety of others.
His troubles began in March, when he was arrested for throwing a brick – with an attached note on it – over a fence and onto ESPN’s property. “To all media outlets, It’s about time you all realeyes (sic) the affect media has on all family members,” part of the note read. He was arrested for breach of peace.
????????????????????????????????: Aaron Hernandez’s brother Dennis has been arrested after suspicious arose that he was planning school shootings, per @TMZ pic.twitter.com/Z5fs5l2WKm
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) July 25, 2023
He was expected to appear in court on July 7, but never showed up. Instead, he allegedly drove to two nearby college campuses – UCONN and Brown University – to ‘map the schools out,’ according to a woman who spoke to the police. She was under the impression that he was planning a school shooting.
During the investigation, UCONN police officers confirmed that Dennis Hernandez was on campus on July 7, but determined there was ‘no known imminent threat’ and he was taken into custody shortly after the campus learned of his alleged intentions. Hernandez hadn’t been back to the campus since July 7.
????| Aaron Hernandez' brother, Dennis Hernandez, has been arrested after there were concerns he was plotting school shootings at UConn and Brown university. [NBC]
— Fanzine NFL (@NFLFanzine) July 26, 2023
He reportedly stated "Not all shootings are bad, I'm realizing" as well as had a "bullet for everyone". #NFL pic.twitter.com/hucSeVuPc3
Police officers in Bristol, Connecticut talked to two women leading up to his arrest on July 18 – both of whom alluded to text messages and social media posts that appeared to confirm Hernandez’s intentions if given the opportunity. “Will I kill? Absolutely,” Hernandez wrote in one social media post prior to his arrest.
Hernandez also sent a text to one of the women on July 7 that hinted at him ‘taking everything down’ as he voiced his anger with UCONN football coaches and university officials. The message also said that he had been ‘dying for years’ and now it’s ‘other peoples turn’ – adding that ‘not all shootings are bad.’
BREAKING: Bristol PD released footage of Dennis Hernandez arrest. You can hear Hernandez tell police "shoot me" and "I'm not armed" before he is tasered and falls to the ground. pic.twitter.com/FAV2Cl3pig
— Everything CT (@CTLimits) July 26, 2023
In response to the allegations, Bristol police officers arrived at Dennis’ house on July 18 – where he threatened to harm and even kill police officers. He dared officers to shoot him before being shocked by a stun gun and arrested – while in custody, he said he wanted to kill anyone who profited off his brother.
Dennis Hernandez Younger Brother Was Charged With Murder in 2013
Dennis Hernandez is the older brother of Aaron Hernandez, who was charged with and convicted of first-degree murder – and five other gun-related charges – after a body with multiple fatal gunshot wounds was found roughly a mile from his house. He was sent to the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.
Aaron Hernandez's brother Dennis 'DJ' Hernandez told cops to 'shoot him' while being arrested for 'planning school shootings' at Brown and University of Connecticut where he 'went into a number of classrooms' https://t.co/HHTmbqmX9E pic.twitter.com/FicnQmftiS
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) July 25, 2023
Aaron was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. After spending two years in prison, he was found dead in his cell – his death was ruled a suicide. It came just five days after he was acquitted of a double homicide in 2012. They later confirmed that he had CTE from his years of playing football.
Aaron Hernandez was a fourth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 2010 after a standout career at the University of Florida. He spent three years with the team and recorded 175 catches for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns with Tom Brady as his quarterback. He last played in the NFL in 2012.
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His older brother, Dennis Hernandez, also played football – though he never made it to the NFL level. He was, however, a team captain at UCONN – the school he made threats against. He spent three years as a quarterback and two years as a starting wide receiver. He’s expected to appear in court on August 1.
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