BRISTOL -- Police are expecting to close a road near downtown Bristol on Monday due to the funeral for Aaron Hernandez.
Police said they will close Lincoln Avenue between the Barnes Highway and East Main Street around 10:30 a.m. Police will reopen the road about 4 p.m. They said drivers passing through the area are urged to find an alternate route.
Hernandez's body was taken to the O'Brien Funeral Home where a private funeral is planned for Monday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A spokeswoman for the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association said the former NFL star's body arrived Saturday afternoon in his hometown of Bristol. The former New England Patriots tight end was found hanged in his cell at a maximum-security prison in Massachusetts early Wednesday. His death was ruled a suicide.
The family issued a statement Saturday.
The family of Aaron Hernandez wishes to thank all of you for the thoughtful expressions of condolences. We wish to say goodbye to Aaron in a private ceremony and thank everyone in advance for affording us a measure of privacy during this difficult time.
Members of the Bristol community appear to understand the family's request for privacy.
"Whatever he did you have to put it aside. He's a human being," says Bristol resident Linda Llantin. "I just feel bad for everything that went down and how it went down and his wife, his kids. It's just terrible."
"I think they should leave him alone. Leave the family alone and let it be as private as can be," says Manchester resident Michelle Cano.