FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A Rhode Island man faces a charge of threatening Gillette Stadium before the New England Patriots' regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tobias Gray appeared in a Rhode Island court on Monday, wearing a New York Giants jersey, on a fugitive from justice charge and charges related to an unrelated domestic assault charge in East Providence.
Gray was wearing an Eli Manning Giant’s shirt during his court appearance in Rhode Island. Wrentham court says he will be arraigned on the threat allegations after Foxborough police transport him from Rhode Island.
— Robert Goulston (@rgoulston) September 9, 2019
He did not enter a plea.
He agreed to waive extradition to Massachusetts, where he is wanted by Foxborough police for "making terroristic threats."
His attorney, Stefanie DiMaio Larivee, said her client apparently made a Facebook post expressing his displeasure at reports that the Patriots signed receiver Antonio Brown. She says Gray took down the post and meant no harm.
We just obtained the post police are looking into about a threat made last night involving Gillette stadium. An attorney for the East Providence man suspected of writing says he posted it but then took it down. We’ll have a full report tonight at 5 & 6 on @boston25. pic.twitter.com/pYUHTNTq7p
— Robert Goulston (@rgoulston) September 9, 2019
In the post, Gray allegedly wrote, in part:
I don't ever really post too many things so you know this is real since the Patriots signed Antonio Brown, I'm going to pull a white boys school shooting at Foxboro. You might as well just hand them the ring right now.
Gray's attorney said he is a big New York Giants fan and was upset about the Patriots signing Brown.
"A lot of people have a lot of emotional reaction outside of New England, especially to Antonio Brown coming on to the Patriots," Larivee said.
Foxborough police had no immediate comment. When East Providence police picked Gray up for their warrant, they say he was threatening to them and an officer's family.
"I will give your kid short-term memory loss," Gray is accused of saying to police. "You better watch your back."
Boston 25 News spoke with one of Gray's neighbors, who did not seem concerned about the accused man's threats.
"He's harmless," said Clifton Price. "If you ask me, he is harmless, and I've [...] been here for 12 years now."
>> Patriots dismantle Steelers 33-3
Associated Press
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
