Massachusetts man wearing gas masks and tactical gear. He stepped into a courthouse outside Boston and attacked several people with pepper spray on Monday.
Nicholas Akelberg, 28, of Yarmouth Port, entered Woburn District Court and deployed pepper spray to multiple judges, police officers and aides, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
Court security footage shows a man wearing a helmet, gas mask, tactical boots and sunglasses walking to the building as court officials open the front door. The man is then seen spraying the officer with pepper spray and spitting it out into the courthouse.
According to the video, other officers in the courthouse tackled the man on the ground. Akerberg punched, shoved and assaulted multiple people before several officers held him down, officials said.
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Nicholas Akelberg, 28, of Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, was identified as a man wearing a gas mask and tactical gear when he deployed pepper spray to several people at Woburn District Court on Monday. (Massachusetts Court System)
Akerberg, a police officer and two judges were treated at the hospital and were later released.
Akerberg had eight canisters of pepper spray he possessed at the time of the attack and two smoke canisters, the District Attorney’s Office said.
Court officials, including Officer Akerberg, were reportedly clashed with Pepper Spray in the first place, and attempted to conquer him within the court. (Massachusetts Court System)
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan condemned the attack in a statement, calling it the third “serious” case in court since March 10th.
“These are not mere acts of violence, they are challenges to the rule of law and peaceful, orderly conflict resolution,” Ryan said. “The rule of law is not a flashy academic concept, it is the foundation of our democracy. Anyone who seces these sacred places will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Akerberg was charged with six counts of assault and battery, causing dangerous weapons, five counts of assault and battery against civil servants, two counts of assault and battery against police officers, assault, court cases, disorderly conduct, and confusion of bomb threats and threats.
Other officers jumped into action and flocked to Akelberg within the courthouse. (Massachusetts Court System)
Akerberg was ordered to be held at Monday’s arrest. His bail was revoked and he was ordered to undergo a competency assessment.
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Akerberg will return to court on May 2nd.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
