There was another attack Friday night in Waltham, Massachusetts, after a string of at least nine random, unprovoked attacks on people in the past couple of weeks had prompted police to send out public safety announcement calls.
Ten different men have reportedly been attacked while out walking alone in the city between 5:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. since Nov. 10, according to an update from the Waltham Police Department on Friday.
Each of the men was struck either from behind or without provoking an attacker. The party responsible appears to lie in wait and attack their victims by surprise, police said.
But authorities have found few other connections between incidents and the motive remains a big mystery.
Police said they are unsure of how many people may have been involved, since physical descriptions have varied across height, weight and skin color.
David Cameros says he is one of the nine people assaulted in Waltham over the last two and a half weeks.
He told NBC10 Boston in Spanish that he had just taken out the trash and was smoking and texting near a dumpster when someone attacked him from behind. He thinks he might have been hit with a bat.
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Cameros says he fell down, blacked out, and then called 911 when he woke up. He spent two days in the hospital and is recovering from fractures in his face and skull.
Waltham police said Friday that five of the unprovoked attacked happened in the sprawling GardenCrest apartment complex, but some of the more recent incidents have happened in the downtown area near Chestnut and Charles streets.
Jade Cherry says she’s resided in GardenCrest for 11 years and won't be intimidated.
“There was a Ugandan who got attacked over there. Someone got attacked down there in the parking lot. The mailman got attacked,” Cherry said. "I’m not one to keep in lockdown. I’m not going to stay in lockdown for a criminal that lives around here.”
Donna Roland also lives at the apartment complex and says it's a scary situation.
"It’s scary to come out of your house and stuff, because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said. “They’re not robbing, they’re just jumping people, for I don’t know what reason.”
Alex Tisme, who also lives at GardenCrest, thinks the coronavirus pandemic may be playing a role in the violence. He says he hopes he doesn't become a victim.
"This year is testing everybody, businesses, financial structure, and people might snap, they might not be able to handle all the stress,” Tisme said.
The U.S. postal service has confirmed one of their mail carriers was also a victim, and the route has now been redesigned so that delivery of mail only takes place in daylight hours.
Nicholas Stewart Maviri says a friend of his was assaulted.
”A friend of mine over there got assaulted," Maviri said. "He got hit with a gun and knocked out and fell right through the window.”
Pam Guy says she doesn't know what the motive may be but that it's scary for everyone in Waltham.
”I don’t know if they’re trying to get money. I have no clue," Guy said. "But it’s scary. You can’t leave your house to go to the store."
Police are asking people across the city to stay alert, no matter where they live.
“Be aware of your surroundings at all times,” Waltham police echoed over the Thursday call. “Avoid being distracted by cell phones, headphones or any other matters while walking alone.”
Police are currently investigating whether Friday night's attack is connected to the previous nine attacks over the last couple of weeks.
Anyone with any information regarding these incidents is asked to call the Waltham Police Department at 781-314-3600 (option 4), or the anonymous tip line at 781-314-3636.
