An altercation erupted at a Massachusetts courthouse on Tuesday involving the families of a man accused of murder in a road rage incident and the victim’s family following his hearing.
Ryan Sweatt, 36, appeared in front of a Framingham District Court for allegedly killing 26-year-old Destini Decoff in Hopkinton, Mass. on April 4, as reported by Boston 25 News.
Following Sweatt’s arraignment, a brawl erupted outside the courtroom, leading to chaos.
Both families were seen engaging in heated arguments and exchanging curses before a brief physical altercation took place, as shown in a video obtained by the outlet.
Police and court officers intervened swiftly to break up the fight.
Decoff’s aunt, Dawn Anderson, was observed wiping blood from her neck after the courthouse incident, but no serious injuries were reported from the scuffle.
Anderson was escorted away by two officers and recounted that a member of Sweatt’s family attempted to grab her by the hair, but she managed to evade the attack.
No arrests were made in connection with the altercation, according to police statements to the outlet.
Despite the physical confrontation, Decoff’s family remains determined to ensure that the accused killer faces the full consequences of the justice system.
“Destini will get her justice somehow, someway, but that family is sick, sick, sick, sick,” Anderson expressed to the outlet.
Investigations revealed that Sweatt was driving a Honda Civic on Route 85 last month when he allegedly got into a road altercation with a Toyota.
Both vehicles pulled over, and Decoff, along with others in her group, exited their vehicle.
Subsequently, Sweatt purportedly drove away but prosecutors claim he made a U-turn at high speed and struck the victim on the road.
“We could tell there’s a little road rage going on. All her clothes were knocked off. I actually picked up her jacket just to cover her up,” witness Brett Martin shared with WCVB.
Decoff sustained critical injuries in the crash and passed away two days later in the hospital.
Sweatt’s attorney, Derege Dimissie, asserted that his client did not see Decoff and did not intend to cause her harm.
The defense claimed that Sweatt hit Decoff while trying to flee out of fear for his life, believing that individuals from the Toyota were pursuing him to cause harm.
Although a knife was recovered from the crime scene, discrepancies were noted between Sweatt’s account and the evidence from security footage and witnesses.
Sweatt was arrested and pleaded not guilty on April 5.
The victim’s mother, Tracy Decoff, firmly believes that Sweatt’s actions were deliberate and that he murdered her daughter.
“If Massachusetts had the death penalty that’s what I would want,” she remarked to Boston 25 News.
She described her daughter as “beautiful inside and out” and someone who always put others before herself.
Prior to the murder charge, Sweatt had been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, operating to endanger, and a marked lanes violation.
Following Tuesday’s hearing, he now faces a charge of murder and is currently being held without bail.
