Winthrop, Massachusetts — Two Black community leaders were gunned down on Saturday afternoon, June 26, in what’s being investigated as a hate crime.
According to NBC News 10 – Boston, the crime started out as auto theft, noting 28-year-old Nathan Allen as the alleged thief. “There was hate in this man’s heart,” Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.
Investigators state that it possibly turned into a hate crime after the man crashed the vehicle into a nearby house — and proceeded to flee the scene on foot.
The D.A. says Allen passed several pedestrians along his escape path down the block and never opened fire. But allegedly once he saw David Green, (58), a retired veteran of the Massachusetts State Police, and Ramona Cooper, (60), an Air Force military veteran a barrage of shots rang out.
“[Allen] walked by several people that were not Black and they are alive. They were not harmed,” the D.A. says. “They are alive and these two visible people of color are not.”
Reportedly, the man shot David Green in the head four times, and added three more to his torso. Then, he shot Ramona Cooper in the back three times. Officers shot and killed the gunman during apprehension confrontation.
In a press conference on Sunday, June 27, Rachael Rollins stated, “This is a sad day.” In her speech, she mentions that Green and Cooper protected Americans’ rights.
“They fought for us to be safe, to have the opinions that we have, and they were executed … these families deserve answers, and we will find out what happened here.”
Authorities found hate rhetoric and racist statements against Blacks, reports NBC News 10 – Boston. The alleged shooter wrote about whites being “apex predators,” and they also found Nazi swastikas during the investigation.
Memorial continues to grow in #Winthrop for Ramona Cooper and David Green who were shot and killed Saturday. A vigil is planned for Thursday at 7pm at Winthrop Town Hall #WCVB pic.twitter.com/PaDaMCHkBa
— Matt Reed (@MattReedNews) June 28, 2021
A vigil was held for the Green and Cooper on Thursday, July 1.
