A 58-year-old man has been arrested and charged after police said he threatened the CEO of Bristol (Conn.) Health on social media.
Bristol Police said in a Facebook post that they located and arrested Richard Stark June 24 after the health system had expressed concern over his social media posts.
In one Facebook post, Mr. Stark suggested the health system should “remind” Bristol Health President and CEO Kurt Barwis of the 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police said in an affidavit, according to CT Insider.
The December slaying in New York City “wasn’t even personal. This IS,” the post on Mr. Stark’s page said, according to police.
Bristol Health spokesperson Albert Peguero told Becker’s the health system has a fully interdisciplinary Threat Assessment Team, which monitors online mentions of the organization.
“Once alerted of the threat, the Threat Assessment Team quickly mobilized and engaged our local police department,” Mr. Peguero said. “The Bristol Police Department is an important and critical partner of Bristol Health. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot disclose more about the specifics of this incident, but we are extremely proud and thankful for the engagement of our law enforcement partners. At this time, there is no active or immediate threat to the organization or its employees.”
He also noted that a key piece of the partnership with the local government is a grant of $124,000 from the city to invest in training, additional surveillance cameras, and panic alarms for employees at the health system.
Mr. Peguero said Bristol Health has “a well developed security system and have a strong working relationship with the local police department who both are on alert and have increased patrols and rounds on our campus.”
“Bristol Health is well prepared to activate our emergency response system if needed but at this time there is no active or immediate threat. We will continue to prioritize safety for all staff, patients, visitors and family,” he said.
Mr. Peguero also said the incident “underscores the importance of federal legislation to enhance safety and address violence for healthcare employees. Bristol Health has led state efforts with [the] local legislature to pass a law in 2023 (Connecticut House Bill 6741) to protect healthcare workers. Bristol Health strongly supports similar efforts on the national level with the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act.”
Mr. Stark faces misdemeanor charges of second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace, according to police.
Corey Berry, the public defender who represented Mr. Stark at the arraignment June 25, did not immediately respond to a call from CT Insider seeking comment.
Mr. Stark “has a long history of mental health incidents with Bristol Health,” police said, according to the newspaper. The newspaper also reported that court records show the judge directed jail officials to keep Mr. Stark on a “medical watch,” adding that he has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
