PLATTSBURGH — A potential major incident was avoided Tuesday morning as area police stopped a Plattsburgh man heavily armed and headed for his former employer.

Police apprehended Robert Thibodeau, 52, of Plattsburgh after receiving a call from a relative of his that he was on his way to University of Vermont Health Network — Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh and believed to be in possession of loaded firearms.

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The call

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The Plattsburgh City Police Department said its dispatch received information from New York State Police Troop B-COMM at 8:57 a.m. Tuesday reporting that a “disgruntled former employee” of CVPH was believed to be en route to the hospital with loaded firearms.

Police said the initial caller of the report was a concerned relative of Thibodeau’s who provided a description of the former employee’s vehicle, which was then broadcasted to patrol officers. The relative also told police that Thibodeau had recently been terminated from the hospital and made comments about returning to UVM to harm individuals.

A marked Plattsburgh City Police unit observed a vehicle, matching the relative’s description provided, traveling north on Prospect Avenue.

The Plattsburgh City Police officer initiated their emergency lights in an attempt to stop and identify the operator. Police said the vehicle initially failed to comply and was eventually stopped on Prospect Avenue near Broad Street.

Officers approached the vehicle and located Thibodeau, allegedly in possession of a loaded firearm. Police said Thibodeau had initially ignored the officer’s commands to exit the vehicle, but was subsequently taken into custody without further incident.

A search of the vehicle located a loaded 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, with two magazines, each containing 10 rounds and a box of ammunition, police said.

The Plattsburgh City Police, with the assistance of the New York State Police, completed the search warrants of Thibodeau’s vehicle and his residence to seize any additional firearms.

Thibodeau was arraigned in Plattsburgh City Court in front of Judge Matthew Favro, and was remanded to Clinton County Jail on $250,000 cash bail, $500,000 bond. He was charged with one count of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm, a Class C felony.

Thibodeau is set to reappear in Plattsburgh City Court on Thursday, Feb. 15.

The Plattsburgh City Police officers were assisted Tuesday by New York State Police Troopers, SUNY Plattsburgh University Police and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department. The Plattsburgh City Police said they are thankful to the assisting agencies, and especially thankful to the relative that quickly reported their concerns to law enforcement.

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Close one

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Clinton County Sheriff David Favro said the situation was close to being a tragic incident.

“This is about as close as I’ve seen to what could have ended up in a mass casualty situation,” Favro said.

“There’s a lot of details that will unfold with further investigation, but definitely he had the means with him, and he certainly could have accomplished mass casualties with his weaponry, and that would have been a horrible situation.”

Favro said it was Thibodeau’s brother who initially alerted law enforcement that there was a potential problem.

“I hailed him as a hero because it’s not easy,” Favro said.

“But families need to realize how critical this is because in a case like this, he saved his brother’s life and the lives of many other people at the hospital.”

The sheriff said his department and other law enforcement agencies get calls warning of potential violence from time to time, but most of them do not materialize.

“These calls come across, I don’t want to say frequently, but occasionally, and we get them and people are angry and say ‘I’m gonna blow up the school or I’m gonna shoot this up, shoot that,’ and they’re nothing,” Favro said.

“This one was real. It was totally real. And thank goodness the response was swift, and it ended the way it did, but it very easily could have been a major national news story, which is what we certainly don’t need.”

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Hospital grateful

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CVPH President Michelle LeBeau said, “This morning, Plattsburgh City Police Department and the New York State Police took into custody a former CVPH employee who was driving to our main campus with several guns in his possession.”

“We believe that his intention was to use those guns here,” she said.

LeBeau said the incident Tuesday was made more complicated due to a phone system failure at the hospital. She said this made notification by law enforcement difficult, and the hospital learned of the threat at 9 a.m. as the arrest was being made.

This led to the decision not to lock down the facility, LeBeau said.

“In many ways, we have been sheltered from the harsh realities of today’s troubled world. Today, that reality was made clear in a truly frightening way. I am grateful for the family member that informed law enforcement of this person’s intentions. As well as for the partnership of several county and state law enforcement agencies that came together seamlessly to protect us and those we care for. I am forever grateful for this team of healthcare professionals who give so much to our community,” she said.

“The events of today highlight the complexities of providing health care in a safe environment. While there are no easy fixes, we will continue to plan, educate and implement change to support each other in this new reality.”

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Not immune

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City of Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest reiterated that the quick response by police prevented a potential mass shooting from happening right here in Plattsburgh.

“Our Plattsburgh City Police officers, along with a number of other public safety agencies came together to stop what potentially would have been a major catastrophe. Chief Mitchell and his team responded quickly and expeditiously to stop this very real and dangerous threat,” Rosenquest said.

“Fundamentally, it needs to be made abundantly clear that as safe of a community we are, we are not immune to the mass shootings that have plagued our nation. It is to the credit of Chief Mitchell, Plattsburgh City PD, area law enforcement agencies, and concerned family members that this ended in an arrest and not a mass shooting.”

The situation also got the attention of North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who issued a statement of her own Tuesday afternoon to praise law enforcement for their swift response to the threat.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible state and local law enforcement officers for their bravery and professionalism apprehending an individual who made threats against CVPH Medical Center,” Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) said.

“Their quick response and determination to keep our NY-21 community safe will never be taken for granted.”

An investigation of the incident is ongoing and further details will be released at a later time, police said.