WOBURN, Mass. — Shocking video shows the moment a masked man entered a Woburn courthouse Monday, blasting pepper spray before finally being tackled to the ground.
The video shows the alleged suspect, Nicholas Akerberg, 28, of Yarmouth Port, walking up the steps of Woburn District Court wearing a helmet, gas mask, tactical boots, and sunglasses.
Akerberg then begins to blast the court officer at the door with pepper spray, forcing his way inside the building.
After racing past the guard, Akerberg sprays the capsicum in the air near the security gate.
Before he can get to the main doors of the courthouse, the masked man is tackled by a bystander who races across the other side of the room.
Four court officers join in on the pile-on, dragging the struggling Ackerbag down to the floor.
Akerberg was eventually subdued by a court officer who used a Taser, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office said.
According to authorities, Akerberg had eight canisters of pepper spray and two smoke canisters on him.
Akerberg was arrested and transported to a hospital. He is 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.
Ackerbag was scheduled to appear in court for an incident out of Stoneham last year, according to authorities.
Woburn District Court was briefly evacuated for the incident but reopened at 2 p.m.
Akerberg was arraigned on Monday afternoon and held pending a dangerousness hearing. His bail was also revoked on open cases before Woburn District Court, though details of those cases were not immediately available.
One Stoneham officer was transported to the hospital after being sprayed, officials said. Two other court officers were also transported for their injuries. All three had been treated and released as of Monday afternoon.
Akerberg was also ordered to undergo a competency evaluation. He will be back in court on May 2.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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