Downtown Crossing

Concern in Downtown Crossing After Group of Boys Arrested for Alleged Attacks

Police responded Sunday night just before 8 p.m. to a report of the boys throwing bottles at people in the area of Franklin Street and Washington Street, according to a news release from the Boston Police Department

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Business owners were expressing frustration and officials were reassuring the public, after several people were attacked Sunday night in the heart of Downtown Boston, an incident that ended with the arrest of numerous boys, police said.

Boston Police Make Several Arrests

The Boston Police Department was first called to popular shopping neighborhood Downtown Crossing before 8 p.m. Sunday, as they responded to a report of a group of juveniles throwing bottles at people in the area of Franklin and Washington Streets, a news release from the department said.

When police got to the scene, they saw the group leaving the area, heading down Franklin Street toward Hawley Street, where they were stopped, the release said. The group of mostly teenagers was said to be uncooperative.

A 12-year-old boy from Arlington, a 16-year-old boy from Framingham, and a 14-year-old boy from Cambridge were arrested and are facing delinquency and assault charges, police said. An 11-year-old boy from Arlington was also arrested and released to a parent.

Boston police said a 16-year-old, a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old were charged following the incident Sunday night; an 11-year-old was released to his parent, and police say several other juveniles ranging in age from 15 to 17 will be summonsed into Boston Juvenile Court.

Police said there were five adult victims still on scene at Franklin Street and Washington Street.

Three of the victims had injuries that were considered non-life threatening: One person was kicked and punched while on the ground, another was punched in the back of the head, while a third was punched in the jaw, the news release said.

Before the attacks, police said the group was removed from TJ Maxx after causing a disturbance inside the store.

Several other juveniles ranging in age from 15 to 17 will be summonsed into Boston Juvenile Court upon further investigation, according to authorities.

Community Members Speak Out

"From 12 to 15 years old, they have no, they don't care, they don't have no scruples, nothing. Don't fear consequences, no respect," said Karl Volker, of Underground Express. "Down here, the toughest time to do business is between 2:30 and 5 when the kids get out of school, the kids come down here, then they go through Downtown Crossing and that is when the trouble starts."

Police were called to the Downtown Crossing area shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday for reports of youth throwing bottles at people.

Michael Nichols, who is president of the Downtown Business Improvement District, says despite recent violent encounters like Sunday, violent crime in the area is down.

"There is a really robust network of work that occurs between security and BPD downtown, so the few times we do have incidents they tend to be addressed promptly," Nichols said.

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