Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins’ Statement on Murders in Winthrop
Troubling White Supremist Rhetoric tied to Shooter
WINTHROP, June 27, 2021 — “Yesterday, 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 (DOB 10/22/60) and DAVID L. GREEN (DOB 4/15/63). 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.”