Psych resident arrested with “arsenal”

Paul Bass/ New Haven Independent

Robert Remington at his arraignment on weapons charges. View full image

A resident in psychiatry at the School of Medicine is on leave after he was charged with two counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon. Police arrested Robert Remington, 31, on September 13 after getting a call from a bartender at Dolci, a restaurant on State Street.

According to the police incident report, Remington appeared to be intoxicated, was bothering other patrons, then “began yelling that he ‘loved violence’ and that he wanted ‘to kill everyone.’” When police arrived, they arrested him for second-degree breach of peace, carrying a pistol without a permit, and carrying a firearm while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. When an officer found a receipt for a sniper rifle in Remington's fanny pack, the police immediately searched his nearby home—without waiting for a warrant—and found what an officer described as “an arsenal of firearms, ammo, and gear/food items,” including two illegal assault weapons.

Remington pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his attorney, John Williams, says Remington denies the allegations about his behavior in the bar. As for the weapons, Williams says his client “grew up in the West and has interest as a collector.” Williams will ask the court to suppress the evidence gathered at Remington's home because it was obtained without a warrant.

Remington works with post-traumatic stress disorder patients at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Haven in a Yale residency program. Yale officials say he will be on administrative leave until the case is resolved.