Officials Condemn Actions of Shooter, Thank First Responders for Their Heroism

The following statements were made by local and state officials regarding the hate crime which occured in Winthrop on Saturday, June 26.

Council Offers Condolences, Thanks First-Responders

Winthrop Town Council President Philip Boncore issued a statement on behalf of the Town Council expressing their condolences to the families of David Green and Ramona Cooper and thanking the many first responders who assisted at the scene of Saturday’s tragic circumstances:

“On behalf of myself and the entire Town Council, we are devastated by the tragedy that took place in our community on Saturday, June 26. We first and foremost wish to express our condolences and offer our prayers to the family members and friends of David Green and Ramona Cooper who were the victims of yesterday’s tragedy.

“The Town Council wishes to thank the Winthrop Police and Fire departments for their response to yesterday’s incident, as well as the many neighboring agencies who responded to assist with the investigation. We would also like to thank the residents near the scene who had assisted in the aftermath of the incident and who cooperated with and supported police while they worked Saturday and into Sunday.

“The Town Council is committed to making sure our community members have support and resources available following this traumatic incident. The Town, in partnership with the Commission for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations; Department of Public Health; Superintendent of Schools; and Police Department, will be working to make counseling available in the coming days. We also plan to hold a candlelight vigil to remember and honor the victims of this hateful crime on Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in front of Town Hall.

“The Winthrop Town Council has no tolerance for hate in Winthrop and we take actions that are rooted in hate very seriously.  We strive for unity within the community and will continue to work with our town partners to ensure Winthrop is an accepting and inclusive place for everyone.”

Rep. Turco States Hate Has No Place in Winthrop

The following statement was submitted by State. Representative for the 19th Suffolk District, Jeffrey Turco.

Whether your family has lived here for generations or whether you have more recently moved here, we all recognize what a special place Winthrop is to live.  Safe, quiet, friendly, are just a few of the words that come to mind. 

And yet in an instance, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, these words have been replaced new words: hatred, bigotry, and tragedy.  The actions of a sick individual have shaken our community to its core and wounded our collective soul.  In our shock and grief, we mourn the tragic and hate filled murders of USAF Staff Sgt. Ramona Cooper and Retired Massachusetts State Trooper David Green.  We join our grief with the grief of their families.  We share in their loss and will be forever changed by it.

We will grow as a community where it is not merely a slogan but a way of life that, “hate has no place in Winthrop.”  We will give strength to our friends, families, and neighbors as we try to understand not just how something so horrible could happen but how it could happen here in Winthrop.

At the same time, we should be proud of our community’s response.  At the sound of the crashes, regular citizens of Winthrop ran to the scene seeking to offer comfort and support to those injured.  As public safety officials swarmed the area, again members of our community brought food and beverage to those working the scene.  Frankly, I am not surprised and to anyone paying attention on an everyday basis, neither should you.  Winthrop, as a community, constantly comes together to help those in need.  Our food pantry, the work of Mi-Amore, the Winthrop Foundation, Saint Michael Parish’s St. Vincent DePaul Society, and the everyday acts to assist those in need are all acts of love which take place here.

As evil came upon the scene, it was confronted and neutralized by a Sergeant, our Sergeant, of one of the finest police departments in our country.  District Attorney Rollins described to me the reports of our Sergeant, in the heat of the moment, demonstrating all restraint, issuing commands to lay down his weapon before neutralizing the suspect and then immediately seeking to render aid to the suspect.  We live among heroes in Winthrop.  We, the people of Winthrop, are Blessed to have such brave men and women, on our police and fire services, who every day put their lives on the line to protect us.  We should thank them not just in response to this incident but every day for the work that they do. 

May God Bless Ramona Cooper and David Green.  May God Bless our first responders and our little Town.

Delehanty Thanks First Responders for Assistance

Winthrop Interim Town Manager and Police Chief Terence Delehanty offered the following statement thanking the many community members and mutual aid agencies who provided support during Saturday’s critical incident:

“We are very appreciative of the Winthrop community for their support during yesterday’s incident. Many residents and business owners brought food and water for the officers and investigators who were at the scene well into the night, as well as brought refreshments to the station. I would also like to thank the community members in the area of the scene who were cooperative and patient while we investigated for many hours Saturday and Sunday.

“I would like to thank and recognize the Massachusetts State Police, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Winthrop Fire Department, Boston Police Department, Revere Police Department, Chelsea Police Department, Transit Police, the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and all of the other agencies who were on standby and had offered to assist throughout the day. We are fortunate to have a sound mutual aid network with many partners we can call on during large-scale, fluid incidents.

“Saturday’s incident demonstrates the fluidity and dynamic nature of the calls officers can respond to on any given day, and I would like to recognize the Winthrop Police sergeant and the other officers who were involved in yesterday’s incident. The sergeant’s heroic actions ended a threat to our community and I am proud to have him as a part of this department.

“Any incident ending in the loss of life is tragic and I would like to express my condolences to the families who lost a loved one yesterday. Retired Trooper David Green, one of the bystanders killed, had a long and commendable career with the Massachusetts State Police and we honor his service. Our thoughts are also with the family of Ramona Cooper who was the other bystander killed. She was a U.S. Air Force veteran and we honor her service to our country.”

Sen. Joe Boncore Issues Statement Regarding Tragedy

Winthrop State Sen. Joe Boncore issued the following statement in the wake of the tragic events of last Saturday:

“The Winthrop community mourns the loss of Ramona Cooper and David Green. My heart is with their families and loved ones. As a community, we are devastated to know that this act of violence was not random. It was a hate crime motivated by white supremacy, racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia.

“Thank you to the first responders who acted quickly on Saturday, particularly the Winthrop Police sergeant whose heroic actions stopped the gunman. Winthrop Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office have undertaken a thorough investigation. We hope their findings can provide some closure to the victims’ families and our community as a whole. 

“Our entire community has experienced trauma. Counseling services will be available through Winthrop Public Schools and Winthrop Public Health Department.

“My office will share resources as they become available. Updates on the investigation will be provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.”

Congresswoman Clark Issues Statement in Support of Winthrop Community

Fifth Congressional District Congresswoman and Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark issued a statement expressing her reaction to Saturday’s tragic shooting.

“I am heartbroken and outraged by yesterday’s tragedy in Winthrop. I mourn with David Green and Ramona Cooper’s families and friends who are now living with unspeakable loss. And I want to thank the first responders and police officers who bravely intervened and controlled the situation before more lives were taken.

“While some details are still unknown, we have learned that our community has been targeted by hate-fueled violence, a reality that is far too common in America. The shooter was motivated by anti-Semitism and racism and was ready to inflict even greater harm on our community.

“In this time of mourning, we must stand together and reject these abhorrent values. Hate has no place here or anywhere.”

DA Rollins’ Statement Regarding Tragic Events

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rolins issued the following statement this past Sunday in the aftermath of Saturday’s tragic events.

 â€œYesterday, the violence and hate that unfortunately is all too common in this nation, came to the quiet town of Winthrop which was rocked by two murders and the subsequent death of the shooter by a member of law enforcement. The two victims have been identified as Ramona Cooper and David Green. Ms. Cooper was a veteran who served our country in the Air Force as a Staff Sergeant. Mr. Green was a retired Massachusetts State Trooper and served our Commonwealth for 36 years as a member of law enforcement. They were both gunned down by the shooter. Staff Sergeant Cooper was shot in the back multiple times and Trooper Green was shot in the head, neck, and torso repeatedly. 

“At this preliminary stage of the investigation, the excellent work of law enforcement has already unearthed troubling white supremacy rhetoric and statements written by the shooter. This individual wrote about the superiority of the white race. About whites being ‘apex predators.’ He drew swastikas.

“There is a growing national, and global, problem with extremism and white supremacy. The FBI believes the most serious domestic violent extremist threat comes from ‘racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocated for the superiority of the white race.’

“This shooter was married and employed. He had a Ph.D. and no criminal history. To all external sources he likely appeared unassuming. And then, yesterday afternoon he stole a box truck, crashed it into another vehicle and a property, walked away from the wreckage interacting with multiple individuals and choosing only to shoot and kill the two Black people he encountered.

“When law Enforcement arrived at the scene, they believed they were responding to a car accident. A thorough investigation will be conducted by our Discharge Integrity Team regarding the shooting of the armed suspect. The investigation thus far, however, indicates that the Winthrop Police Sergeant commanded that the suspect drop his weapon prior to shooting and immediately rendered aid. This Police Sergeant, like Trooper Green and Staff Sergeant Cooper, is a hero. The Sergeant stopped a volatile and escalating situation, saving lives, and protecting the community he serves.

“Counseling will be available to children and adults across Winthrop. Winthrop Town Officials will be releasing information about these services shortly. In the coming days, I will be reaching out to each of the families that lost a loved one yesterday and our victim witness advocates will be available to anyone impacted by this tragedy. As the investigation progresses, we will keep the impacted families apprised. They deserve answers about their loved one’s deaths. When it is appropriate to do so, we will share additional information with the public.”