Late Sunday night on Northampton Street, a Boston police cruiser rolling up to an assault-and-battery call instead became part of a separate mess when a brick came flying off a rooftop, dented the vehicle and blew out its rear window.
Officers were already on the block investigating the reported assault and battery when the brick smashed into the cruiser. Several other nearby cars also appeared to have been struck, according to WHDH. Investigators detained one person at the scene, who was then taken to a hospital for evaluation. Police have not said whether that individual is connected to the original disturbance.
Police response and suspect's status
Investigators told reporters that the person taken from the scene was brought in for a mental-health evaluation and described the individual as someone who is "well known" to law enforcement, according to WHDH. Officials have not released the person’s name and have not said whether any charges are on the way. Detectives spent the night canvassing Northampton Street, trying to sort out how the brick was launched from the rooftop and why it happened in the middle of an active police call.
Past incidents and legal notes
While officers do not usually have to worry about projectiles coming from above, it is not completely unheard of. In 2016, a Boston man was accused of throwing bricks at a cruiser and was later ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation while facing assault-related charges, as reported by CBS Boston. In similar cases, prosecutors have pursued assault and related counts when heavy objects are thrown at officers or police vehicles, depending on what the evidence supports.
For now, investigators are still processing the Northampton Street scene and looking for witnesses as they work to determine whether the rooftop brick incident is tied to the original assault-and-battery call. The case remains open, and officials have not released any further details.
