An unfortunate group of Longmeadow, Massachusetts police clearly didn’t get the message about minding their own beeswax.
A local woman named Rorie S. Woods allegedly tried to stop the the sheriffs’ from serving an eviction notice this week by unleashing a swarm of angry bees on them, according to the Associated Press. At least three of the officers stung were reportedly allergic to bees, one of which required hospitalisation. Now, the woman reportedly faces multiple assault and battery charges.
Woods, according to the AP, drove up to the site of the eviction in an SUV carrying manufactured bee hives. Multiple protestors were reportedly on site attempting to prevent the eviction. When she arrived, the 55-year-old woman reportedly got out of the truck and started shaking the bee hives, presumably to piss them off, before releasing the cover. Hundreds of bees emerged.
Though Woods quickly donned a protective beekeeper’s suit the deputies weren’t so lucky. One of the officers attempting to stop Wood from opening the cage was reported stung in the face. Woods, who was arrested on the site, didn’t seem to care about the officers who were apparently allergic to bee stings.
“Oh, you’re allergic? Good,” Woods reportedly said.
Oddly, this is not the first time U.S. cops have been bested by buzzing insects. In 2020, according to The Los Angeles Times, a group of police officers were ambushed when trying to contain a swarm of 30,00 to 40,00 so-called “killer bees” in Pasadena, California. The police were called in by local firefighters to help cordon off the area but quickly ended up getting stung themselves. Two firefighters, a police officer, and several members of the public were reportedly sent to the hospital.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.