Waltham Attacks: Police Offer $5K Reward For Info

WALTHAM, MA — The city is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the person or persons responsible for the near dozen unprovoked attacks across the city in recent weeks.

"Everybody is talking about it, and everyone is concerned," said Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, who pleaded with residents to not walk alone after dark.

During the past month, someone in Waltham has been lying in wait under the cover of darkness and attacking men around the city, sending many of them to the hospital with serious injuries to the head and face, police said.

"That's one of the reasons for the reward," police Chief Keith MacPherson said. "If someone is struck in the head with a blunt object, the strike alone can cause a serious head injury."

The reward is for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

MacPherson said his department has all its available resources, including a drone, focused on catching the person or persons responsible for the assaults. Detective Sgt. Stephen McCarthy said he reached out to the Boston police gang unit to see if the assaults were connected to gang initiation activity but said they didn't appear to be.

The attacks have a similar pattern, police said. The earliest attack happened at 5:30 p.m and the latest at 11:30 p.m. All the victims have been men, MacPherson said, adding he believes the person has used a heavy object in the assaults. Police said no one was robbed during the attacks.

"The motive is somewhat in question, but it appears to be a thrill of the assault or someone who is very violent and enjoys seeing someone hurt," MacPherson said.

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

McCarthy said he was losing sleep over the attacks, calling it an awful situation.

"There is definitely a fear factor in our city right now, we have never experienced anything like this," McCarthy said, adding that he was confident the department would find those who were responsible.

There were five reports of unprovoked attacks in the Gardencrest apartment complex between Nov. 10 and Nov. 21. The city issued reverse 911 calls warning residents.

Over the weekend, 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. Police said they are looking into other persons of interest, thanks to tips from the community.

Descriptions of the attacker or attackers have varied between white and black men of various heights. Most people have been attacked from behind.

Waltham resident David Camaros said 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.

Police said they have had 11 attacks reported to them between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30, although the last one was on an anonymous tip line, so they weren't able to confirm it.

According to police logs, there were 17 reports of assaults across the city during that time, including four on Middlesex Road and others on Prospect Street, Brown Avenue, Chestnut Street, Charles Street, Bedford Street and Lexington Street.

By comparison, during October, there were seven reports of assaults in the city: on Alder Street, the 700 block of Main Street, Lake Street, Willow Street, the corner of Adams Street and Chester Avenue, Fourth Avenue and Howard Street.

"These incidents aren't occurring in a vacuum," said MacPherson, who asked that anyone who has witnessed an assault to come forward with information. Call police at 781-314-3600 (option 4) or the anonymous tip line at 781-314-3636.

Mayor McCarthy, who is not related to Detective Sargent McCarthy, implored residents to keep their heads up at night, and if they had to go out to use the buddy system.

Residents have been calling her office, as well as the offices of city councilors across the city, asking for more information. The Gardencrest neighborhood held a meeting with city councilor Sean Durkee, and councilors Jonathan Paz and Cathyann Harris are both planning online community meetings, as well.

Paz is hosting a community meeting on Zoom at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and has invited the mayor and members of the Waltham Police Department "so we can have an insightful discussion about your concerns and what is being done to protect our safety." WATCH CDC will be in attendance.

Join the Zoom meeting with this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9421097249...

Meeting ID: 942 109 7249 Passcode: 9Kgqz8

Harris said her Neighborhood Update will focus on what residents need to know to Stay Safe and Ways to Help. She will host it on Zoom, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m., the mayor and police and WATCH CDC will also be there.

Her Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82161013460
Meeting ID: 821 6101 3460 One tap mobile +13126266799,,82161013460#

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.