BOSTON (WHDH) - A 35-year-old man accused of attacking a woman in Boston’s South End over the weekend was ordered to be held without bail.
Amos Sykes of Quincy was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court Monday morning, days after his arrest on Saturday night when police responded to the area of W. Canton and Appleton streets for reports of an assault.
According to the Boston Police Department, witnesses had heard the sound of a person screaming and saw Sykes allegedly “punching a woman in the head as he sat on top of her.” He also allegedly told witnesses that he had a gun and threatened to shoot, while also trying to remove clothing from the victim.
“She was crying, she was covered in blood – she told officers that she was walking down Columbus Avenue towards West Canton Street when the defendant come up from behind her,” the prosecution stated in court. “He grabbed her and forced her to the ground to proceed to hit her with closed-fists to the head and take her pants off. He grabbed her buttocks and then made sexual advances towards her.”
Authorities said that as they arrived, they saw a witness try to defend the victim and fight Sykes, who was arrested after attempting to flee the scene on foot. The police department said the victim was later taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The witness, Sam Holder, told 7NEWS he and his father were watching a football game when they heard the victim screaming for help and he made the decision to spring into action and stop the attack.
“We heard a shriek … so I came outside,” he recalled. “There was a lady laying there on the ground with her pants down, her panties down, guy was on top of her, other people were recording, and I have sisters, mothers, my whole family consists of mostly women, I just hit him.”
“I just jumped in, I had no other choice. She was screaming and bloody, with her pants down around her ankles,” he said.
In a statement, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden commended Holder’s actions while noting the trauma an attack like Saturday’s can leave a victim with.
“This was a nightmarish attack that left the victim bloodied and bruised, and would likely have resulted in an even worse outcome if not for the extraordinarily brave intervention of a Good Samaritan,” Hayden stated. “In cases like this the victim’s injuries often transcend the physical. Our office has advocates specially trained to treat this type of trauma, and they will be by this victim’s side throughout the court process and after. I thank Boston Police for their quick response and arrest and I am especially grateful for this Good Samaritan’s courageous action.”
During Monday’s arraignment, Sykes was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing that was scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 16.
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