Earlier this month, on September 5th, a man's impatience with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) fare gates escalated, resulting in $3,000 of damages and triggering an ongoing search by the authorities, according to CBS Boston.
It began as a typical day at the Wood Island station on the Blue Line when the unnamed individual attempted to swipe his MBTA pass at the gates. Despite his repeated efforts to use the far-left gate, it stubbornly refused entry, sparking an understandable surge of irritation within the young man. Unfortunately, this fleeting emotion led to very tangible consequences as he kicked the gate in frustration.
When another passenger successfully scanned their fare and gained entry through the adjacent gate, the man took advantage of the fleeting window of access to slip through unnoticed. After, he turned back around and unleashed another powerful kick against the gate. As Boston.com describes, it appeared the assailant couldn't "meet kindness with kindness" even in the face of an unwittingly helpful gate.
In the meantime, the MBTA's Criminal Investigations Unit urges anyone with information on the Wood Island station incident to contact them at (617) 222-1050, and for anonymous tips, individuals can text 873873.
