Massachusetts authorities accuse woman of unleashing bees on deputies during eviction protest
(CNN) — Boston police said they arrested a woman, who authorities believe started a battle with them over the eviction of a homeless encampment that sparked a six-hour standoff, and will seek criminal charges.
The unidentified woman, whose identity was not released, was charged last week with armed assault on a police officer, possession of a dangerous weapon during a crime of violence, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
The Boston Police Department said in a news release that the woman had threatened to “shoot” the officers who were trying to evict the homeless camp, according to a police report that showed that the man’s wife called 911 and said she was holding a gun. The man told authorities that during the standoff, she fired what he said was a pellet gun in the air, police said.
The man told authorities that he, his wife and his 12-year-old daughter were inside the encampment, which they called “The Block,” when the woman stormed in.
He said the woman got between him and the officers carrying out the eviction and yelled something like “give me my money” and then started opening a canister of OC spray inside the camp.
But Boston police said they had not seen the OC spray canister, adding only that it could have taken the form of a gun. The report also showed the man’s wife had told authorities that after the woman started shooting at them, she put a canister of OC spray in her pocket and left.
The woman’s alleged rampage did not end when she left the tent city. She started spraying OC spray inside the tent and police said she allegedly grabbed a pair of large scissors and a plastic bag, threw them at her boss, took the scissors and the bag, and ran off into the night.
Sgt. Timothy Collier, a Boston police spokesman, said Thursday that there was “some evidence” to suggest the woman may have been under the influence, but he did not elaborate. He also said the woman was not facing any criminal