CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A detectives’ investigation included a home across from the University of Miami in Coral Gables.
Police officers parked along Campo Sano Avenue near Brunson Drive on Tuesday and remained there on Wednesday evening, with more officers arriving shortly before 10 p.m.
Ed Angelo Jr. said his neighbor was accused of making death threats against a Coral Gables police officer. Local 10 News sources said the threats were on social media.
The threats also allegedly included the officer’s family, with the man finding their home and making threats at that location as well, according to sources.
Miami-Dade property records show the four-bedroom home, which faces the Riviera Country Club, lists Tamara Hartnett as the owner. State records show William Hartnett III used the address to register several companies.
Last year, William Hartnett, 43, of Coral Gables, pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening the defense attorney of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the murder of George Floyd, according to federal prosecutors.
“You and your whole [expletive] family are going to [expletive] die, you [expletive], for representing Chauvin, a [expletive] murderer. Now, you all are going to [expletive] die a worse death than Floyd,” Hartnett said during an 18-second voicemail, according to prosecutors.
FBI Miami investigated the 2021 case and a federal judge sentenced Hartnett to four years of probation.
It’s unclear whether officers are standing by to arrest Hartnett or waiting on a warrant, but neighbors told Local 10 News that death threats should be taken seriously.
“I understand he (Harnett) threatened him (the officer) and his family and children to kill them,” said a neighbor. “They need to put him somewhere to get him some help--get him off the street.”
An attorney who has represented Hartnett in the past told Local 10 News late Wednesday night that Hartnett was not harassing anyone.
Hartnett is suffering from terminal cancer and is greatly afraid of police, the attorney said. Hartnett was reportedly sharing a petition online against police abuse, and the petition happened to be shown to a police officer’s family. The attorney, who asked not to be named, said was a misunderstanding.
This is a developing story.
Location