A Massachusetts man wearing a gas mask and tactical gear was captured on video walking into a courthouse in a Boston suburb and attacking several people with pepper spray on Monday.
Nicholas Akerberg, 28, of Yarmouth Port, entered Woburn District Court and deployed pepper spray at multiple court officers, a police officer and an assistant district attorney, the Middlesex district attorney’s office said in a statement.
Security footage from the courthouse shows a man wearing a helmet, gas mask, tactical boots and sunglasses walk up to the building as a court officer opens the front door. The man is then seen spraying pepper spray at the officer and barging into the courthouse.
Other officers inside the courthouse tackled the man to the ground, according to the video. Akerberg punched, shoved and assaulted multiple people before several officers subdued him, the officials said.
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Akerberg, the police officer and two court officers were treated at a hospital and later released.
Akerberg had eight canisters of pepper spray and two smoke canisters in his possession at the time of the attack, the district attorney’s office said.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan condemned the attack in a statement, saying this was the third “serious” incident at the courthouse since March 10.
“These are not just acts of violence, they are challenges to the rule of law and to peaceful, orderly dispute resolution,” Ryan said. “The rule of law is not a fancy academic concept, it is the foundation of our democracy. Anyone who desecrates 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 with a dangerous weapon, five counts of assault and battery on a public employee, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, assault, disrupting a court proceeding, disorderly conduct, bomb threat and intimidation, the district attorney’s office said.
Akerberg was ordered to be held at a Monday arraignment. His bail was revoked, and he was ordered to undergo a competency evaluation.
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Akerberg is due back in court May 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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