WOBURN, MASS. (WHDH) – Woburn District Court was evacuated Monday morning and temporarily closed following an incident involving police.
According to prosecutors, a suspect wearing a mask and a helmet went into the court house and deployed pepper spray in the lobby.
A prosecutor for Stoneham police and Stoneham and Woburn police officers who responded to the scene were able to get the situation under control, tackling the suspect before he made it into a courtroom.
Nicholas Akerberg, the 28-year-old suspect was taken into custody. Akerberg, along with the detective and three court officers were all taken to the hospital.
Officials say Akerberg was due in court on Monday in connection with an assault case in Stoneham last year. In that case, he is accused of pepper spraying two responding Stoneham officers and then attempting to throw punches at another officer when he was being booked.
7NEWS sources say Akerberg was also carrying smoke bombs but was subdued before they were activated.
The court reopened after roughly three hours.
Akerberg faced a judge in a late day arraignment on Monday. He’s set to reappear in court in May.
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