Suspicious death, bomb threat hours apart at L+M
New London man is charged in scare; cases are not related
New London — New London police were called to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital for two separate incidents within three hours on Tuesday: a suspicious patient death and a bomb threat called into the hospital Emergency Department.
The hospital contacted police about 12:30 p.m. regarding a suspicious death.
New London patrol officers and detectives responded, as well as investigators from the Office of the State's Attorney, according to a news release from New London Deputy Chief Peter Reichard.
The cause of death is under investigation, with the medical examiner's office assisting, the release said.
Less than three hours later, the Emergency Department went into full lockdown and patient diversion for about an hour in response to a bomb threat, a hospital spokesman said.
New London police and firefighters were dispatched to the hospital at 3:38 p.m. after hospital personnel reported they had received a bombthreat- type call phoned into their system, New London police said in a news release.
The call was traced back to the owner of the listed number, along with his address and vehicle make, the release said.
Police located the suspect at his home and determined that he had placed the call but that there were no explosives planted in or near the hospital, the release said.
Aleksey Kuperman, 51, of 177 Nautilus Drive, Apt. 28, New London, was charged with breach of peace and first-degree threatening. He was being held Tuesday night on a $2,500 bond.
Police and firefighters led the investigation with help from the hospital’s Public Safety Department, spokesman Mike O’Farrell said. The hospital’s safety dog was used during the bomb search.
During the lockdown, from 3: 25 to 4: 20 p. m., hospital employees were instructed to stay in their units and remain on alert, O’Ferrell said.
An officer on the scene said that New London police evacuated patients from the emergency room.
O’Farrell later said no one was evacuated from the hospital and no patients were transferred.
Hospital public safety employees brought blankets to people who were outside the emergency department, some of them family members of patients, he said.
About 25 people waited outside the emergency room, some walking in blankets to a nearby parking garage, as officers entered the emergency room.
Heather Golemba of New London said she was inside the L+M emergency room with a friend when she heard over the intercom: “Code Gray, Code Gray.”
Nursing staff began escorting visitors out, she said. There were about 45 visitors in the emergency room at the time.
Patients remained inside, she said.
Golemba said she was afraid it was a bomb threat or someone threatening the hospital with a firearm.
“They said they wanted to protect our safety and they needed to get us out as soon as possible,” she said. “I was scared.”
It was about 3:30 p.m., she said.
Fred Muscarella said he was in the emergency room as a patient when everyone in the waiting room was moved outside.
“There must have been 30 people in the waiting room and they shooed us all outside,” he said. “They just kept bringing us warm blankets.”
He said he saw two police officers with dogs.
During the lockdown, incoming patients were diverted to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, The Westerly Hospital and Pequot Medical Center in Groton.
O’Farrell said police “cleared the threat” at 4:20 p.m., and the hospital resumed normal operations.
Earlier in the day, about 12:30 p.m., police received a report of a suspicious death at the hospital.
Five police cruisers could be seen outside the hospital’s emergency entrance in connection with that incident.
Police said that patrol officers and detectives responded to the scene, along with investigators of the New London County State’s Attorney Office.
The death remains under investigation. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is assisting.
O’Farrell said the two incidents are not related.
Day Staff Writer Lindsay Boyle contributed to this story. j.benson@theday.com d.straszheim@theday.com