Alexander Bradley, the East Hartford man who says his eye was shot out by former New England Patriots star and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for shooting up a Hartford bar.

Bradley has been in prison since his arrest in the case three years ago. He was also sentenced to five years special parole.

"I'm not the same person I was three years ago," Bradley told Superior Coirt Judge Julia D. Dewey. "It was a traumatic time in my life. I was going through some traumatic events."

Bradley, 34, had already been shot three times on Feb. 3, 2014, when he opened fire on the front of the Vevo Lounge on Meadow Street. He'd been shot moments earlier by Leslie Randolph after the two had a disagreement over money that spilled outside the club, court records show. Randolph was captured on surveillance video firing at Bradley.

Bradley, whose wounds included a gunshot wound to the "crotch area," retrieved a handgun from his car and tried to get into back the club. Bouncers saw him coming and locked the doors, prosecutor Vicki Melchiorre told Judge Julia D. Dewey. So Bradley opened fire on the club.

People inside dove for cover as Bradley fired about 11 rounds. No one was hit. Bradley then returned to his car, tossed the gun to his cousin and the pair drove off. They were stopped a moment later by Hartford police and Bradley was taken into custody.

Bradley was a witness in Hernandez's first murder trial for the killing of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd in 2013. The trial ended with Hernandez's conviction and a sentence of life with prison without the possibility of parole.

Bradley is also scheduled to be a witness in Hernandez's current trial on charges he shot and killed two men in Boston in 2012.

As a condition of his parole, Bradley must appear at the Hernandez trial if he is subpoenaed.

Bradley opted for a plea agreement rather than a trial in his shooting case. He pleaded no contest to criminal possession of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal mischief. If he took his case to trial, he faced a longer sentence if convicted.

The terms of the plea agreement were negotiated by Melchiorre and defense attorney Robert Pickering of Hartford.