An air of unease has settled around Berklee College of Music in the wake of a string of assaults that left four people, all students, injured over the weekend. Boston Police reported three separate incidents occurring on Saturday, but as of Sunday, no arrests have been made and investigations continue.
In the first instance, officers responded to an investigate person report in the area of Boylston Street and Hemenway Street, where one individual was assaulted outside 153 Massachusetts Avenue and refused medical treatment. Two additional victims were later discovered outside the area of 1 Haviland Street, and while they were treated on scene, the details of the assaults remain unclear, the Boston Herald reported. Another individual was attacked near 1130 Boylston Street and also declined medical attention.
Amidst the chaos, a suspect believed to be responsible for all the assaults was identified by Berklee College police and summonsed to court, according to both Boston 25 News and CBS News Boston. Thus far, the suspect remains unnamed, and he has yet to be formally taken into custody. Reports indicate that he was identified six hours after the incidents took place.
Understandably, these events have left many students shaken and questioning their sense of safety on campus. One student, Michaela Holman, who witnessed the first assault, described it as random and unprovoked in an interview with Boston 25 News. The impact of these incidents on the student body and community is palpable, and Berklee College of Music released a statement acknowledging the potential effect on campus security: "Incidents such as this are not common on and around campus but when they do occur they can cause stress and negatively impact our community's sense of safety and security."
