Man Held Without Bail After Roof Incident

The man who was identified by this morning.

Scott D. Cooper, 39, of 1 Kilby St. Apt. #44, was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a public employee, disorderly conduct and two outstanding warrants.

Cooper was held witout bail after the day-long incident.

According to Woburn Police, the service of the arrest warrants was the start to Wednesday’s incident.

Woburn Police had set up surveillance of Cooper’s home Wednesday morning, in an attempt to serve the warrants for violation of an abuse prevention order, criminal harassment, two counts of violation of an abuse prevention order; and committing a bomb/hijack threat with serious public alarm.

Cooper’s record dates back to 2005, when he was arrested by the Sheriff’s Department in Middleton for operating while under the influence of alcohol. In 2009, he was arrested in Burlington for burn personalty (see below). A year later, Cooper was arrested three times—disturbing the peace in Woburn, issuing a false bomb threat in Middleton, and burn personalty in Cambridge. In 2011, Cooper was arrested for violating an abuse prevention order in Cambridge and on an outstanding warrant from the Middleton Sheriff’s Office.

Mass State Law states that burn personalty charges are issued when someone willfully and maliciously sets fire to…” wood, fencing, trees, grass, or personal property valued at over $25, including boats and motor vehicles.

According to police, Cooper was aware of the warrants and had not been coming out of his apartment for weeks. He was observed by neighbors and police only opening his apartment window to smoke a cigarette, said police.

At 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, police saw Cooper open his window for a cigarette and went to the apartment. Cooper had pushed a couch against the door, but officers were able to open it and saw the 39-year-old escaping out the open apartment window.

Officers reported they told Cooper they had left the apartment, shutting off their radios and closing the doors. When Cooper came back in, he struggled with two police officers and a firefighter, kicking at them as they tried to subdue him.

A firefighter was treated for an injury to his left hand later, said police. An officer also received minor injuries to his hands, forearms, wrist and back. No medical attention was needed for the police officer, said authorities.

According to police, Cooper escaped back onto the roof when his pants fell off as he tried to get out the window and officers tried to keep him in the apartment.

Woburn Police Chief Robert Ferullo requested assistance from the NEMLEC SWAT unit for a negotiator and Woburn Fire Chief Paul Tortolano requested an airbag unit from Boston Fire in case Cooper jumped off the roof of the four-story building.

Cooper’s parents were on scene, speaking with officers, during the negotiation. Cooper’s therapist also assisted with the negotiation, said police.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m.—almost seven hours into the incident—Cooper agreed to come inside a fourth-floor apartment. Cooper was taken into custody by officers and was transported to Lahey Clinic for medical evaluation before being booked at the Woburn Police Station on several charges.

Police reported that the day-long incident “could have been prevented if Scott Cooper turned himself into the courts… [or] if his parents, who had knowledge of Scott’s action and plans to avoid capture, [had] brought that to the police department’s attention.”