Nurse charged with threatening credit union over closed account

BRIDGEPORT — A registered nurse who claims he was put out of work by the pandemic was charged after police said he threatened to shoot employees at a Stratford credit union.

Robert Farrington, 45, of Kossuth Street, was charged Thursday with threatening and three counts of second-degree breach of peace.

Stratford police said Farrington allegedly threatened to get a shotgun after he was told his account at the Sikorsky Credit Union was closed for inactivity.

“I’ve worked as a nurse for 20 years but I’ve been unemployed until I can get a COVID shot,” Farrington told Superior Court Judge Peter McShane through the bars of his cell in the lockup of the Golden Hill Street courthouse Friday.

State records confirmed Farrington has been a registered nurse since 2003.

The judge, while stating he found the allegations against Farrington to be serious, nonetheless agreed to release him on a promise to appear in court.

“You are not to be within 1,000 yards of the Sikorsky Credit Union. If you go back, I will raise your bond and you will be back behind bars,” the judge warned.

He continued the case to May 5.

According to Stratford police, shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday, officers were dispatched to the Main Street branch of the credit union.

Police said the tellers told them a man later identified as Farrington had come into the bank and stated he wanted to close his account there.

When told his account had been closed for inactivity, police said Farrington became irate, complaining he had $5 left in the account. They said he walked to the door where he compared his height to the measurement markings on the door and then allegedly declared he was going to get a shotgun. He then walked out of the credit union.

Police said an alert was put out for Farrington and a short time later officers spotted him walking at the intersection of East Main Street and Wilcoxson Avenue.

Police said Farrington admitted that he may have mentioned getting a shotgun while in the credit union but told officers he is a “jokester” and has no guns.