"Woman is attacked on Esplanade; Assault is similar to several in past" by Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff | July 15, 2009
A woman was attacked and robbed while walking along the Charles River Esplanade early yesterday morning, under conditions alarmingly similar to past attacks in the same area, in what may be the work of the same assailant, authorities said.
The woman, whose name and age was not released yesterday, told police she was walking near the footbridge at Massachusetts Avenue shortly after midnight when she was attacked by a black man with a shaved head and a muscular build, law enforcement officials said. The attacker wore a black tank top and black sweatpants. The woman said she was not sexually assaulted and called authorities with the cellphone of a passerby who arrived after the attack.
To avoid jeopardizing the investigation, authorities withheld details and the woman’s identity. But the incident has striking similarities to past assaults in the area committed by a man matching the description, said authorities. Local and state investigators are looking into whether yesterday’s assault and the past attacks are linked, said Jake Wark, spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.
“We don’t know if the most recent assault is connected to the earlier attacks, but each agency [State and local police] is investigating a possible connection between the most recent assault and the [2006 and 2007] cases,’’ he said.
Two attacks on the Esplanade in 2007 and an attack at Joe Moakley Park in South Boston in 2006 have raised the concern of authorities, who formed an investigative collaboration between Boston police, State Police, and sexual assault detectives assigned to Conley’s office....
Police would not say what the women in any of the attacks were doing at the Esplanade at night, whether they were walking home, or going to a job or local establishment. Pedestrians said anyone should be mindful of walking anywhere at night in a major metropolitan city, regardless of whether it is an open area such as the Esplanade.
As if were THEIR FAULT?
“I could see why you would feel safe, but you can’t take your safety for granted,’’ said Ryan Duell, 25, who recently moved to the area from Nebraska with his wife, Jill, and joined her for a run yesterday on the pathway.
Then WHY are we spending SO MUCH MONEY on "security?"
We ARE NOT SAFE even under the LOVINGLY PROTECTIVE WING of AmeriKan government?
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Too bad you weren't gay; state officials would undoubtedly be taking action for you then.
