Waltham Attacks: Man Charged, 'Reign Of Terror' Over

WALTHAM, MA — Authorities on Thursday said the man responsible for 11 unprovoked attacks across Waltham in November was arrested in December and has been held in custody as police linked him to the cases.

The "reign of terror" is over, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said. "These attacks, which appear to be random, caused the community of Waltham to be in fear for several months."

On Dec. 11, Clauvens Janiver, 24, of Waltham, was arrested and charged in connection with a Nov. 11 parking garage attack, Ryan said. At that time, it wasn't clear he was the same person responsible for the other attacks, she said. After an extensive investigation that included reviewing cell phone records and surveillance video, forensic testing, search warrants and interviewing victims and witnesses, he was charged in connection with the other 10 attacks, she said.

The Waltham Police Department said the investigation was its priority in its last public update on the attacks Jan. 5. Little new information was made public until Thursday.

The court held a dangerousness hearing for Janiver on Dec. 21, and he has been held in custody without bail since then. He is expected to be arraigned on more than 20 charges, according to Ryan. He was also charged in connection with firing a gun at a car on Nov. 24 on Willow Street.

"It took every available resource available in Waltham," to bring the charges, acting Waltham police Chief Kevin O’Connell said.

Authorities said they have no sense of what motivated Janiver to commit the attacks. There were no racial or age profiles that fit the victims, police said.

Authorities said between Nov. 12 and Nov. 27, Janiver hid under cover of darkness between 5:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. before attacking unsuspecting men around the city, sending many of them to the hospital with serious injuries to the head and face. One of the victims was a postal carrier, police said. Janiver ran off in each case without stealing anything, police said.

Police on Dec. 1 announced a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the assailant, and the attacks stopped.

The first few attacks happened at the Gardencrest apartment complex, while more recent attacks happened downtown in the area of Chestnut and Charles streets.

"I call him a terrorist," said City Councilor Sean Durkee. "We've been waiting for this day."

Durkee represents the ward where the attacks started and said fear filled the community. "People were in tears," he said.

• Previously: Waltham Attacks, 3 Months Later

Waltham resident David Camaros told Patch he was on the phone throwing out trash behind his apartment building on Middlesex Road when someone attacked him from behind using a heavy object.

In late November, police released a 4-second video clip showing a man running down the street in jeans and a black sweatshirt and asked for the public's help identifying him in connection with the attacks.

On Dec. 11, Janvier was arrested and charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery after police said assaulted an 18-year-old man with the back of a machete at a parking garage on Turner Street.

Janiver was arrested in 2016 and charged with trespassing, according to court documents obtained by Patch. In 2018, he was charged with assault and battery in connection with domestic violence, according to court documents.