Another woman attacked late at night in the North End
By adamg on Sun, 08/22/2010 - 4:31pm
Boston Police report a woman sitting on the steps at 200 Salem St. around 3 a.m. Saturday was grabbed and choked by a man who first asked her for a light. The man let go and ran away when she started screaming, police say.
Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male in his mid-twenties, about 5'10" and a medium build. He wore a white t-shirt and jeans.
Dating back to 2008, several women have been attacked late at night in the North End, often by a Hispanic or Italian man who talks to them first, then attacks them, then runs away when they scream or fight back. In January, a woman was attacked by a Hispanic man who lunged at her with a knife.
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investigate the coast guard
when i live in the north end in 2008, it was widely believed the attackers were stationed at the coast guard on commercial st., and that it was hushed up, and the suspects were shipped off to other ports, where i believed they attacked again.
could be the same now?
Must Be Outsiders
Can't possibly have any home grown thugs around.
Typical
So quick to accuse others of wrongdoing, even though she has no information of her own to add. Surprised she doesn't accuse the poster of racism.
Those are grave allegations
Those are grave allegations to be swinging around as unsubstantiated rumor.
I'm going to disregard unless I hear something much more credible.
Coast Guard base worth a look
The Coast Guard base is as good a guess as any. In these post-9/11 times, I'm sure the base is well covered by surveilance cameras that would have caught whoever was coming and going from the base late night. Plus, if the latest victim struggled with the suspect as news reports indicate, perhaps a hair or some other form of DNA was left behind and could be scanned through CODIS.
Cutters aren't for Fishing Expeditions
If there is some evidence that a Coastie has had anything to do with these attacks, then camera evidence could be requested. What we have here is a local rumor building up to a fine urban legend with little basis beyond the Coast Guard base just being there.
Meanwhile we have a consistent description of a suspect with a consistent pattern appearing over a fairly long range of time. If somebody fit that description and the log records matched, do you really think nothing more would come of it?
Even military personnel have the basic rights against search and seizure that we all do. Running DNA checks against the personnel stationed at the installation is really the same as saying that any male who is there should be a suspect just because shut up.
No, no...
You've just described the Catholic Church, not the Coast Guard.
North End
I was intrigued by the Coast Guard angle. I doubt it though. I was in the Marines and I remember base authorities fully cooperating with local police in any possible case that involved base personnel. Then again it could be. Every entry point on that base is covered by CCTV. Just take a look and see if anyone resembling this guy returns there.
One other item, these attacks, in part, are due in a large part to gentrification. Things like listening to iPod's or other distractions allow criminals like this to prey on victims. Also there is a tendency to not interact with neighbors. Go out to work, come home, walk dog, return home and then go out for weekened. I know this isn't totally accurate. But a fact I've seen is when there's a lack of knowing one's neighbors, crimes like this B&E's, car theft and other things occur.
Gone are the day's of people sitting on their stairs or sidewalks. The old lady sitting in her window is gone, too. The North End is now a 'theme park'. It's not a bad thing and it's not a good thing. Gentrifacation is happening all over the city. This has impacts of all kinds.
I've said it before and I'll say it again..
this crap never used to happen when the Angiulos were running things down there. It was common knowledge in this city that you didn't screw around in the North End. Now.....not so much.
And Whitey kept the drugs out of South Boston...
We all know that mobsters keep their neighborhoods super safe, drug and violence free.
dvdoff, honey, I^m with you
dvdoff, honey, I^m with you there. I lived at 194 Salem from 1980 until 1991 (and spent 1979 on Henchman). It was the safest place in the world until the Angiulos were jailed. Within months my apartment was broken into.