GARDNER, MASS. (WHDH) - A Gardner teenager is facing a slew of criminal charges after he allegedly attacked several people as he ran down a road in broad daylight earlier this month, including an elderly deaf man who was thrown off his porch, prompting officers to deploy a stun gun to subdue him.
The juvenile, whose name has not been released because of his age, is charged with assault and battery on a person over 60, assault and battery, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and open and gross lewdness, according to the Gardner Police Department.
Officers responding to a report of a male who was running around assaulting people in the area of Conant Street on May 14 were directed to a wooded area, where they found the suspect in an “altered mental state,” police said in a news release.
The suspect was tased, taken into custody, and transported to an area hospital for evaluation, according to police.
An investigation revealed a 78-year-old man who suffers from hearing loss sustained serious injuries in the attack.
“He was just walking out the door to take out the trash, 78 years old,” Steven Couture, the victim’s son, told 7NEWS. “He needs a cane, so it was easy for this kid to jump on his back and throw him off the porch.”
Couture said his father was rushed to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
“He was beaten savagely. They broke his neck, they broke his facial bones,” Couture explained. “He was evacuated to a trauma center in Worcester.”
Several other victims were injured in the rampage, including a neighborhood resident’s daughter who came face-to-face with the suspect.
“They were horrified, they were scared for their life,” said Faye Backhoff, who managed to call 911. “It was bad and I wasn’t out there to protect my daughter.”
Backhoff added that her daughter and some friends were able to escape the suspect and flee to safety.
Other residents say the incident unfolded in broad daylight before emergency responders scrambled to the scene.
“It was really surreal. It didn’t feel like it was real,” said Stacy Desnoyers, who witnessed the attacks. “It was so random.”
Couture, who is worried sick about his father, is disappointed that suspect has been allowed to return to his home.
“I understand that he has been charged and is out on bail,” Couture said. “My father is not out. He’s still in intensive care.”
The incident remains under investigation.
Only on 7, we’ve learned a Gardner teen is facing charges that include assault & battery on person over 60 after violent attack on 78 yr old taking out the trash #7news pic.twitter.com/FMJ02SUlLl
— Steve Cooper (@scooperon7) May 20, 2020
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