Suspect in Middletown Bank Robbery Cut His Own Neck: Police

The Middletown man who is accused of robbing the Liberty Bank, at Main and Court streets in Middletown, on Monday cut his own neck and has been released from the hospital, according to police. 

Police said Brian Gallagher, 45, of Middletown, approached a teller at the bank just before 11:30 a.m. on Monday, said it was a robbery and demanded 50- and 100-dollar bills, then ran with the money.

He did not get far before the dye pack exploded, so Gallagher threw the money into a snow pile, police said. 

Police identified him from the surveillance photo and a detective who recognized Gallagher from previous dealings called his cell phone. 

Gallagher answered and said he was going to the bridge, police said. 

When police found him at North Main Street and Hartford Avenue, he was holding a pocket knife to his throat, according to police.

The officer then told Gallagher to put the knife down, but Gallagher’s response was “shoot me,” police said. 

The officer used a stun gun, then arrested Gallagher, who was transported to Middlesex Hospital, then to Hartford Hospital to be treated for the knife wound, police said. 

According to police, he was injured while holding the knife to his own throat. 

After he was released from the hospital, police met with Gallagher and he gave a confession, the arraignment report says. 

In his apartment, police found the coat he was wearing during the robbery and a T-shirt smeared with red dye, police said. 

Gallagher was charged with second-degree robbery, second-degree threatening and sixth-degree larceny. 

He is being held on $100,000 and he is due in court on Tuesday.

 
Contact Us