WABC-TV(TUCKAHOE, N.Y.) — A New York plastic surgeon was found with an arsenal of weapons, including multiple assault-style rifles, ammunition and knives, after he allegedly threatened his estrange wife, according to authorities.
Dr. Matthew Bonanno, 47, was arrested Monday night at Growler’s Beer Bistro in Tuckahoe, N.Y., on multiple criminal possession of weapons charges, police said.
The arrest came after a tipster told authorities they heard the plastic surgeon at the bar “say he wanted to kill his wife and family,” according to Tuckahoe Police. Bonanno was illegally in possession of a loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun at the bar, police said.
When police searched Bonanno’s car, they found five assault-style rifles fully loaded with high-capacity magazines, three handguns, 29 high-capacity magazines and over 1,600 rounds of ammunition, police said.
Investigators also discovered a stun gun, heavily ballistic body armor, a ballistic helmet, handcuffs, masks, military-style knives, brass knuckles, scopes and binoculars, authorities said.
At one of Bonanno’s homes on Long Island, investigators found a large cache of weapons including assault rifles, handguns, high-capacity magazines, ammunition and smoke grenades, police said.
Three unlicensed handguns were found at the doctor’s other home in Mount Pleasant, N.Y., police said.
“We will find out how these guns came into the defendant’s possession, how they got to Westchester and why he had such an unusual collection of weapons,” Westchester District Attorney Anthony Scarpino said at a news conference on Wednesday. “He was not authorized to have that weapon [he allegedly had at the bar] in New York and the assault weapons are clearly not legal in New York.”
Additional charges are expected, Scarpino said.
“We can all breathe a little sigh of relief knowing that these weapons are out of the hands of someone who might cause harm to others or possibly himself,” Scarpino said.
Bonanno was arraigned on Tuesday and remanded to the Westchester County Jail, police said. Bonanno returns to court on Aug. 20, according to records. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
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