A Boston 15-year-old is facing charges in connection with brandishing a knife at an MBTA bus driver in Chelsea Friday night, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said.
The teen has been charged with two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and five firearms charges in connection with the incident in Chelsea Juvenile Court, the district attorney’s office said in a press release.
MBTA Transit Police responded to a call reporting that a bus driver had been assaulted in Chelsea shortly before 9:15 p.m. on May 30, the district attorney’s office said. The driver told them three minors had gotten on at a bus stop without paying, but that he’d kept driving despite this resulting in an argument.
As the minors got off the bus at a later stop, one of them threw a lighter at the driver and missed him, the district attorney’s office said. As the driver got up from his seat, the same minor — who was later identified as the 15-year-old — took out a knife and started walking towards him.
The driver was not injured during the incident, and all three minors ultimately got off the bus, the district attorney’s office said. But the driver soon flagged down a police officer and pointed them towards the minors.
The 15-year-old was arrested without incident, but as they were being arrested, one of the other minors offered to take their backpack, the district attorney’s office said. Inside, police found a 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine and 11 rounds loaded.
The driver’s account of the assault was corroborated by security video of the incident, the district attorney’s office said.
“There are numerous disturbing elements here, all made even more disturbing given the age of the person charged,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in the release.
The 15-year-old’s bail in a pending assault case out of Chelsea Juvenile Court was revoked as a result of the incident, the district attorney’s office said. The teen is due back in court on July 7 for a bail hearing.
