Friends say man fatally shot by police was depressed

BUFORD, Ga. — Friends of a Buford man fatally shot by police believe he was recently depressed over his best friend's murder.

Gwinnett County investigators said Antonio Hernandez, 20, first pointed a gun at his own head before turning it towards officers Tuesday night.

"He said 'If it wasn't for the love that I have for my family, I'd already kill myself.' That just broke me," Daniel Hernandez told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh about a recent posting on his brother's Facebook page.

Siblings Daniel and Geraldine Hernandez said they knew their brother was depressed, but they didn't know how bad it was.

On his Facebook page he recently posted several dark thoughts.

Police said after six minutes of negotiating, trying to get Hernandez to drop the gun, he then turned it toward officers.

Four officers fired their guns. Investigators said an officer first tried to stun him with a Taser, but both prongs did not make solid contact.

"He never had an altercation with police, authorities. He never had issues with anybody. Everybody knows him," Geraldine Hernandez said.

Several witnesses said they don't believe Hernandez ever threatened police. They said he never turned the gun from his head.

"He was a good person. He protected me. He went to church on Sundays," Daniel Hernandez said.

His Facebook page shows another side. Kavanaugh found several photographs of marijuana, some of it laid out over cash.

Police say Tuesday night Hernandez was carrying several baggies of drugs they believe were for sale. And, they believe he was carrying two loaded guns and spare bullets.

But the Hernandez family said this isn't the person they knew. As they held the most recent picture of their brother they could find, they said his death has devastated the family.

"I just can't believe he's gone," said Daniel Hernandez.

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WSBTV