A Massachusetts woman is facing multiple assault charges after allegedly unleashing a swarm of bees on sheriff’s deputies during an eviction attempt in Longmeadow, about 90 miles west of Boston.
On October 12, 2022, Rorie Susan Woods, 55, arrived at a Longmeadow home where sheriff’s deputies were enforcing an eviction order. According to authorities, Woods, a protestor, not the resident being evicted from the home, had multiple manufactured bee hives housing thousands of bees on a flatbed trailer attached to her SUV.
As deputies approached, Woods allegedly opened the hives, releasing the bees, which became agitated and swarmed the area. Several deputies and bystanders were stung, with one deputy requiring hospitalization due to an allergic reaction.
Woods reportedly donned a beekeeper suit and attempted to move a hive closer to the front door of the house. According to MassLive, she told the officers, “Oh, you’re allergic? Good,”
Woods first arrest
Rorie Susan Woods was arrested at a hotel in Tennessee last week after failing to appear for her Massachusetts trial.https://t.co/JrkZ5ct1Uh pic.twitter.com/Of0eEhGSiN
— Boston.com (@BostonDotCom) August 11, 2025
Woods was arrested at the scene and charged with multiple offenses, including assault and battery using a dangerous weapon — in this case, bees — and disorderly conduct. In 2022, Woods pleaded not guilty and was released without having to post bail.
Woods was scheduled to stand trial in Springfield District Court in August 2025. However, she failed to appear, and an arrest warrant was issued. Authorities tracked her to Kingsport, Tennessee, where she was arrested at a hotel on August 7, 2025.
Following her second arrest, Woods was arraigned and is currently awaiting extradition to Massachusetts to face charges. She is expected to appear in court in Tennessee on August 21, 2025, for a hearing related to her extradition.
“We are always prepared for protests when it comes to evictions, but a majority of the groups who protest understand that we are just doing our statutory duty in accordance with state law,” Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said of the case.
Referring to Woods, however, Cocchi said, “This woman, who traveled here, put lives in danger as several of the staff on scene are allergic to bees. We had one staff member go to the hospital, and luckily, he was alright, or she would be facing manslaughter charges.”
“I support people’s right to protest peacefully,” Cocchi added, “but when you cross the line and put my staff and the public in danger, I promise you will be arrested.”
