A 34-year-old man accused of threatening to blow up Tufts Medical Center and making “numerous ongoing racial remarks” to hospital staff after he was discharged will return to court Wednesday, prosecutors said.
Graham Abraham, of Hanover, is charged with bomb/hijack threat with serious public alarm in connection with the incident at Tufts, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office said in a statement. Abraham is also charged with threat to commit a crime and assault and disorderly conduct tied to two separate incidents at Boston Medical Center.
During his arraignment on the bomb threat charge, Abraham was held on $5,000 bail and he was ordered to stay away from the hospital if he is released. A court clinician also recommended mental health services for the man, according to the statement.
On Feb, 2 around 1:30 p.m., a Tufts Medical Center staff member reported to public safety officers at the hospital that a former patient, who prosecutors say was Abraham, called the hospital and made racist remarks and complained about his experience, according to the statement.
About half-hour later, around 2 p.m., another staff member took a call from Abraham and reported he said, “everybody is going to die.”
Police who reviewed audio from the recorded phone line reported hearing Abraham make threats and racial slurs.
Abraham is accused of saying, “[Inaudible] ready to bomb and blow up your hospital. Got guns and knives kill all [expletive]. All [expletive] must die. [Expletive] roaches and scum of the earth. All [expletive] must be slaughtered and killed,” according to the statement.
Abraham is accused of making numerous calls to the hospital with similar threats between Jan. 15 and Feb. 2, officials said.
Other police departments, including Transit and Amtrak police, are “familiar with Abraham and his frequent calls,” according to prosecutors.
Amtrak reported receiving 78 calls from Abraham in January where he made “disturbing statements and bomb threats.” As a result, Abraham is banned from all Amtrak facilities.
Abraham has also “been flagged” by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and cannot legally purchase a gun, Hayden’s office said.
Hayden said prosecutors weighed Abraham’s mental health needs when deciding whether or not to pursue criminal charges.
“We must take all forms of threats seriously,” he said. “This defendant has made numerous threats and disturbing statements to individuals and institutions that have helped or tried to help him in some way. We’re moving forward with criminal action here because it is clearly necessary to prevent potential public harm.”