Authorities in Massachusetts announced that two teenage boys will face charges of assault and battery on the elderly. The charges stem from the teens allegedly punching a group of Christmas carolers in a random act of cruelty.
The assault took place on Sunday in the Dorchester region of Boston. According to WBZ-TV, the carolers were affiliated with the Church of the Holy Spirit in Mattapan. They had gathered at a residence on Johnston Street around 3 p.m. to sing for an 88-year-old stroke victim, who happened to be the mother of parishioner Veronica Trotman.
Trotman gave a statement to WBZ. She said, “I brought my mom to the window so she could hear it. I saw the two guys come across the street, but I didn’t know what they were going to do.”
When police officers arrived on the scene, they discovered that a group of carolers had been targeted. According to the Boston Police Department, the carolers were positioned facing a residence when two elderly singers were assaulted from behind. Two boys, ages 15 and 16, allegedly punched them multiple times in the back of the head.
The victims opted not to receive medical treatment at the scene. Police searched the area thoroughly but were unable to find the teens accused of the crime.
Massachusetts police look to charge teens accused of random assault on elderly Christmas carolers https://t.co/hibXVJ6DTB pic.twitter.com/XIgVSinCno
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) December 22, 2023
According to neighbors interviewed by WBZ, the victims were in their late 70s. The police report specifies that one of the women suffered a concussion.
Bystanders on the street heard the screams and furnished the police with descriptions of the suspects, and the teens were successfully apprehended on Thursday.
Authorities reported that they reviewed security footage, revealing the teenagers approaching the carolers from behind during the rendition of “Silent Night.” The footage showed the teens counting to three before simultaneously striking the elderly woman.
Neighbor Jalen Applewhite said to Boston’s Channel 25, “Kids nowadays be going crazy. I understand what it’s like to be out having fun, but you can’t be hitting old ladies.”
Authorities suggested that the teens might have been engaged in the very dangerous “knockout game” that became popular through social media. The intent of the game is to dangerously knock out unsuspecting individuals. Sadly, the victims are often elderly.
