Three arrested, fourth identified in January 25 attack on Red Line passenger
BOSTON, January 31, 2023—Two women and a man were charged Monday in Central BMC with attacking and attempting to rob a Red Line passenger last week, leaving the victim with a fractured nose and two lacerations on his face, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
A fourth suspect was identified and linked to another MBTA attack and robbery that occurred on January 12. The identification led to that suspect being held on a dangerousness finding after being arraigned for the prior incident. He will be arraigned on the new charges at a later date.
Arraigned Monday were NY-JAYA MONAE SAMPSON, 19, of Boston, SETH BURNS, 20, of Manchester, NH, and SIDNEY AMARAL, 23, of Cambridge. All were charged with four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault and battery and one count of assault to rob.
Judge John Garland ordered Sampson held in lieu of $1,000 bail, and to stay away from the MBTA and from her co-defendants. Garland ordered Burns held on $2,000 bail, with the same conditions. Garland revoked Amaral’s bail for 90 days due to open cases, and ordered her held on $2,000 bail when the revocation expires, with similar stay away conditions. All three will return to court March 1 for probable cause hearings.
The fourth suspect, BRYAN FITZPATRICK, 19, of Boston will be arraigned at a later date on the new charges. However, Fitzpatrick’s identification led to him being arrested and arraigned in connection with a separate MBTA attack and robbery that occurred on January 12. In that case, Fitzpatrick and three others are charged with attacking and robbing Green Line passengers. Fitzpatrick was charged on Friday in Roxbury BMC with assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and armed robbery. Judge Kenneth Fiandaca ordered Fitzpatrick held for 90 days on a dangerousness finding, and ordered him held in lieu of $10,000 bail when the 90 days expire. Fitzpatrick will return to court February 10 for a probable cause hearing.
On Wednesday, January 25 at about 7:27 p.m., MBTA police responded to and emergency call at South Station. There a man told them that two men and two women had approached him and attempted to take his bag on the train between Broadway and South Station. When the victim did not release the bag, the four punched and kicked him, and attacked him with a knife and a taser. The victim suffered facial injuries and his jacket was slashed in the attack. The four assailants were captured on MBTA video fleeing South Station.
Using the surveillance video and descriptions provided by the victim and witnesses, police identified and arrested the four suspects in and around Harvard Square on Thursday and Friday.
Hayden said the January 25 incident, along with the January 12 incident, were “terrifying experiences for the victims and direct assaults on the right of residents to safely utilize the benefits of an urban public transportation system.”
“These two incidents are deplorable violations of public rights and public trusts. Thousands of people depend on public transportation for work and recreation every day of the year. They have the expectation, as well they should, to ride trains and buses without fear of being victimized or brutalized,” Hayden said.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications