Three arrested for attacking passengers at Mattapan Station
BOSTON, April 19, 2023 – Two teenage males and one juvenile female were arrested over the weekend for attacking two men at an MBTA station after one of the men asked the group to stop smoking on a trolley, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
KEVIN JONES, 18, and JOSHUA VENTER, 18, both of Boston, were arraigned in the Dorchester Division of BMC on April 18 for assault and battery on an elder or disabled person, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot), assault and battery, and disorderly conduct on public conveyance.
Jones has an open matter also charging him with assault and battery on an elder or disabled person. Prosecutors requested that his bail be revoked on that case. Judge Jonathan Tynes released Jones and Venter on personal recognizance and ordered both to return to court June 15 for pre-trial hearings.
The juvenile faces similar charges and will be arraigned at a later date.
On Sunday at about 5:35 p.m., Transit police responded to Mattapan Station for reports of an individual being assaulted. Upon arrival, officers were notified that a group had attacked two MBTA passengers and had fled on foot. One of the victims informed officers that he observed Venter shouting at the other victim, 63, after he asked Venter to stop smoking on the trolley due to there being a passenger on board with a baby. As they exited the trolley, Venter and Jones punched the first victim with closed fists. Venter, Jones and the juvenile then attacked the second victim when he tried to intervene. Video captured by a bystander showed Venter, Jones and the juvenile stomping and kicking the second victim, who had visible lacerations on his head, lips, arms and knees.
The second victim followed Venter, Jones and the juvenile when they left the station and helped police identify them as they walked along Blue Hill Avenue.
“No one should have to fear taking public transportation or sticking up for others when someone is breaking basic MBTA rules. No smoking on buses, trolleys or platforms is one of those rules. These young people reacted in an intolerable manner and they will be held accountable for their behavior,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications