Boston police say an argument on Huntington Avenue turned ugly Sunday night when a man was assaulted and the attacker took off on a scooter, leaving first responders to treat a serious injury in the middle of one of the city’s busiest corridors.
According to NBC Boston, officers got the call just before 8:15 p.m. in the area of 263 Huntington Avenue. They arrived to find a man who had been hit in the leg with some kind of object, possibly a rock, in front of 289 Huntington Avenue, the listed address for a Panera Bread.
Boston EMS and Boston Fire crews treated the victim at the scene and took him to a nearby hospital. Police described the injury as serious, though NBC Boston reported that the wound was believed to be non-life-threatening.
Investigators say the confrontation started as an argument between two people rather than a random attack, and that detectives are actively working the case.
Where It Happened
The stretch of Huntington Avenue near Massachusetts Avenue is a crowded slice of the city, lined with restaurants, student housing and office buildings. It is also no stranger to police tape.
Earlier this spring, officers investigated a stabbing near the corner of Huntington Avenue and Gainsborough Street that sent a person to the hospital, as reported by Boston.com.
In Sunday night’s case, the suspect was last seen riding a scooter from Huntington Avenue toward Massachusetts Avenue, and no arrests had been reported. Officers have not released any description of the person they are looking for, according to NBC Boston.
Police Response and Investigation
Boston police say the fight that led to the assault appears to have been a dispute between two individuals, not a random ambush on a passerby. Detectives are now trying to piece together what was said, what was used to strike the victim and where the scooter rider went after disappearing toward Mass. Ave.
The department has not released further details, and late Sunday there were still no arrests on the books.
Why Scooters Complicate Street Policing
Scooters and mopeds can turn a quick getaway into an even quicker one, and Boston police have been trying to keep up. The department has carried out targeted enforcement in the Fenway, Back Bay and South End in response to concerns about scooters zipping through traffic and occasionally popping up in crime reports.
In March, officers from District D-4 and the Auto Theft Unit towed a dozen scooters and issued summonses during an “Operation Safe Scooter” sweep, according to a department press release.
Transit police data has also shown that scooters and mopeds make up a hefty share of vehicle theft reports, a pattern that can make it tougher to track suspects who take off on two wheels, The Boston Globe reported.
As of now, investigators have not released a description of the scooter-riding suspect, and the probe remains active. This story will be updated if Boston police release additional information.
