Gunman armed with ‘AR-style pistol’ tackled by security after entering Aetna’s Connecticut headquarters
April 17, 2026
A man armed with an “AR-style pistol” walked into health insurer Aetna’s headquarters in Connecticut — but was quickly tackled by security, officials said.
A man armed with an AR-style pistol was taken into custody on Thursday morning after entering the Aetna headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut. The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Denrey Wadlington, was quickly apprehended by the insurance company's security personnel within three minutes of his entry into the building on Farmington Avenue. Hartford police were called to the scene for a report of a suspicious person and took Wadlington into custody without further incident. No injuries were reported during the encounter.
Authorities reported that Wadlington was carrying the weapon in a backpack when he entered the Aetna building at approximately 10 a.m. He was subsequently arrested and is facing multiple charges, including criminal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of an assault weapon, possession of a large capacity magazine, and third-degree criminal trespass. During a court appearance on Friday, a prosecutor noted that a meeting of top executives was occurring at the headquarters at the time of the incident. Wadlington was ordered held on a $1 million bond.
The motive for Wadlington's actions remains unclear, and the investigation has been taken over by the Hartford Police Department's Major Crimes, Crime Scene, and Intelligence divisions. Court records indicate that Wadlington has a prior criminal history, with past convictions for offenses including assault, threatening, and drug possession. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree threatening and interfering with an officer, and the following year he was convicted of interfering with an officer and disorderly conduct.
The incident has heightened concerns about workplace safety and the security of corporate executives, particularly within the health insurance industry. These concerns have been amplified since the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO in December 2024, which led many companies to re-evaluate their security protocols. The swift response by Aetna's security team in containing the situation highlights the increased preparedness in the corporate sector to mitigate potential threats.
Aetna's parent company, CVS Health, confirmed the incident in a statement, acknowledging that a "suspicious person" was apprehended by their security team and handed over to local law enforcement. This event follows a recent announcement from CVS Health regarding layoffs affecting more than 300 remote employees who report to the Aetna business unit. The investigation into the security breach is ongoing as authorities work to determine the full scope and intent behind the incident.
Source: nypost