Woman unleashes swarm of bees on police to protect friend from eviction

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A woman has been found guilty of unleashing a swarm of bees against police officers.

Rebecca Woods let the hive loose on officers who tried to serve eviction papers to Alton King Jr, 80, at his home in Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

The beekeeper was filmed pulling up to the officers in a truck carrying wooden crates to join an anti-eviction protest on October 12, 2022.

A deputy in the clip, obtained by MassLive, said, ‘Hey, hey, hey, she has a truck full of bees,’ as another replied: ‘What?’

That’s when Woods lifted the lid off a stack of beehives, an act she said in court was both to protect the eviction and to let the insects forage.

The 55-year-old threw on a beekeeper suit to get a second crate of bees before deputies tackled her to the ground and arrested her.

15 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2022, Woods, a 59-year-old who previously lived in Hadley, drove into the driveway of a Longmeadow home towing a flatbed trailer carrying multiple manufactured beehives. As deputies with the Hampden County Sheriff?s Office Civil Process Division attempted to carry out the lawful eviction, Woods jumped from her vehicle and began attempting to unleash thousands of bees. In the moments that followed, Woods smashed open hive boxes and flipped them from the trailer, releasing swarms of highly agitated bees into the area. Deputies and HCSO staff on scene were stung multiple times, including one who suffered stings to the face and head. Several members of the team were injured, and one staff member was transported to the hospital. As she donned a beekeeper suit and moved additional hives toward the home, deputies moved in and placed her under arrest. During the arrest, she was heard directing another individual to care for her dog, which remained in her vehicle as bees swarmed the area. When informed that some deputies were allergic to bees, Woods responded, ?Oh, you?re allergic? Good.? The incident not only put deputies at risk, but also endangered neighbors in the surrounding area?particularly those with severe allergies. Thousands of bees died during the chaotic scene.

Rebecca Woods was found guilty of four counts of simple assault and battery and two counts of reckless assault. (Picture: Hampden County Sheriff’s Office)

One officer was taken to the hospital (Picture: Hampden County Sheriff’s Office)

But more boxes toppled over during a struggle, unleashing hundreds more bees, which stung the deputies, including the face and head of one.

After officers detained her, one of them told Woods that his colleague was allergic to bee stings.

‘Oh, you’re allergic?’ Woods replied. ‘Good.’

A jury found Woods guilty of four counts of simple assault and battery and two counts of reckless assault.

She was sentenced on April 17 to six months in jail, according to court records.

Lawyers told the court that Woods was trying to prevent her friend and former roommate from being evicted.

She donned a beekeeper suit and moved more hives toward the home (Picture: Hampden County Sheriff’s Office)

King Jr, who was undergoing cancer treatment at the time of the incident, had been in an eviction battle over his $1.9 million mansion since 2018.

Thousands of bees died during the arrest, officials said, as some of the toppled hives crushed the insects. Honeybees also die after stinging.

Robert Hoffman, chief deputy of the Civil Process Office, said at the time: ‘Never in all my years of leading the Hampden County Sheriff’s Civil Process Division have I seen something like this.’

The force added: ‘Our deputies face unpredictable and often dangerous situations in the course of their duties.

‘They deserve to do their jobs safely – and today’s verdict reinforces that expectation.’

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