Patriots Receiver Julian Edelman May Have Just Stopped a School Shooting

Definitely the most important catch he’s ever made.

Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman

Even the most diehard Patriots haters have gotta give it up to Julian Edelman for doing the right thing. The Pats wide receiver was alerted to a threat of a horrific school shooting, and his actions may have prevented yet another tragedy.

It started on Instagram. Edelman’s posts receive tons of comments every day. It would tax anyone’s patience to read them all, but some eagle-eyed Edelman fan read deep enough that he or she saw something alarming. A single sentence: “I’m going to shoot my school up watch the news.”

Screengrab From Edelman's account
Julian Edelman

The New York Times reports Edelman was in Texas visiting Danny Amendola at the time. He called his assistant in Boston as soon as he read the DM and verified the comment had been posted. Assistant Shannon Moen immediately called 911.

Police were able to trace the IP address of the commenter to a residence in Port Huron, Michigan. There they discovered the would-be shooter was a 14-year-old boy—who copped to making the threat. 

Ok we’ll ft TB. #austin

A post shared by Julian Edelman (@edelman11) on

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That police also reportedly found rifles in the home suggested the kid wasn’t playing around. If he really was planning to do the shooting, his target was his middle school.

Shannon Moen said Edelman “was in shock” and that they were “very lucky” Boston and Michigan law enforcement were so quick to take action.

Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman

Edelman has been a class act about the whole thing. The Times reports he reached out to the person who sent the DM, someone with the screen name jesseyi3, but there’s been no response. Edelman said it was fortunate “this kid said something” and that he was “going to send him something, a care package, just for his work.” 

As far as Julian Edelman is concerned, the person who sent the DM is “the real hero.” 

And he’s right about that. jesseyi3, answer your DMs.

h/t New York Times  

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