"Police describe wild fray outside Boston club, 10 arrested" by Evan Allen Globe Staff May 20, 2015
Five Boston police officers were injured, 10 people were arrested, and three guns were recovered in a brawl early Sunday outside a Theater District nightclub, according to police reports.
Authorities said the fight erupted after officers arrested two armed gang members while some in an unruly crowd of hundreds filmed and jeered police.
“It’s trying times to be in law enforcement,” said police spokesman Lieutenant Michael McCarthy. “We’re proud of the way the officers handled themselves in bringing that event to a safe conclusion.”
The trouble began around 2 a.m. when gang unit officers saw alleged gang rivals congregating in front of the Bijou Nightclub on Stuart Street, according to police. They noticed two young men, Randall Mastin, 19, and a 16-year-old from Dorchester, allegedly clutching their waistbands and eyeing police.
When officers approached, both began fighting in separate scuffles, according to the police documents. The 16-year-old attempted to flee but was tackled, and during the struggle he allegedly gestured to a gun in his waistband, according to the documents.
At the same time, another officer was fighting with Mastin, who allegedly dropped a gun. Once Mastin was handcuffed, he allegedly head-butted a sergeant and cut the officer’s eye. Three other officers were injured during both fights, according to the documents.
Mastin was charged with several gun violations, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, and assault and battery on a police officer causing injury. He was also charged with receiving stolen property because the Taurus firearm he allegedly carried had been stolen from Union City police in New Jersey.
The 16-year-old was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of ammunition, resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace.
The arrests took place as hundreds of patrons began exiting nightclubs in the area, and a melee broke out, according to the documents.
As police attempted to make arrests, one suspect, Lance Gerald, 27, of Malden, allegedly kicked an officer in the stomach, sending him to the hospital. Gerald and five others were charged with affray and disturbing the peace. Gerald was also charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a shod foot, and resisting arrest.
As the second round of arrests was being made, 25-year-old Jonathan Contreras of Cambridge allegedly refused to move.
Contreras “became belligerent,” according to the documents, after an officer explained to him that he could be hurt if he stayed where he was.
The officer tried to defuse the situation, according to the documents, but Contreras, who had his hands raised, allegedly began calling him vulgar names.
Police arrested Contreras, and are seeking charges for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Police made their final arrest when officers allegedly saw a group of alleged gang members chasing a rival, Mario Barros, 26.
Officers chased Barros down and allegedly found a gun tucked in his waistband. He was charged as an armed career criminal with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Boston police issued licensed premise violations to Bijou. A spokeswoman for Bijou said the nightclub had nothing to do with the fights.
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If they could only just talk to the kids:
"Teen Empowerment and BPD pledge to work together" by Travis Andersen Globe Staff May 21, 2015
A youth organization and Boston police on Wednesday pledged to collaborate this summer to strengthen relationships between young people and the Police Department to keep neighborhoods safe and expand opportunities for adolescents.
During a news conference at police headquarters in Roxbury, activists from Teen Empowerment, a program that trains young people as community organizers, and top police officials said they would continue a partnership that has flourished since the early 1990s.
Jada Castillo-Mitchell, 18, of Roxbury, a Teen Empowerment organizer, said meetings between her group and police are especially important in the wake of violent protests over police killings that have gripped other cities in recent months.
The collaboration “helps the police realize that most youths are not ignorant, and helps the youths realize police officers are good people trying to do a difficult job,” said Castillo-Mitchell.
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Teen Empowerment has worked with police since 1992 and employs more than 100 young people each year in Boston, Somerville, and Rochester, N.Y., according to a statement from the organization.
The group holds discussions at police and community meetings, and organizers have worked with officers to sponsor basketball tournaments, block parties, peace marches, and “even large youth-police summits,” the statement said.
In addition, Teen Empowerment conducts training sessions at police academies and for veteran officers, to help police relate to adolescents, according to the statement.
On Wednesday, department officials and organizers touted plans to expand the number of Teen Empowerment offerings.
“I think it’s important for the public to see the hard work that these young individuals and our officers do to make sure we build relationships and we make the communities safe,” said Police Commissioner William B. Evans. “When people ask me what makes Boston special, why is what’s happening across the country not happening here, it’s because of programs like Teen Empowerment.”
Evans’s second-in-command, Superintendent-in-Chief William G. Gross, also hailed the organization and its work with the department.
“We’re at the forefront of showing how you can do things peacefully and respectfully,” Gross said, praising the group for showing that “we can do things better, as long as we respect each other, listen to each other . . . and work together in hopes of bringing this city together, both the police and the community.”
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NDUs: Quincy man indicted in fatal bar attack
I quit.
