MAYOR MENINO & POLICE COMMISSIONER DAVISHONOR COURAGEOUS CITIZENS
Good Samaritans & Officers Team Up To Save Victim from Vicious Attack
Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis honored several courageous citizens who demonstrated bravery during a dangerous encounter to save a crime victim from a vicious attack at the hands of her husband. The Good Samaritans each received a Proclamation at City Hall as acknowledgement and appreciation for their selfless actions. Today’s ceremony recognizes the following citizens: Robert Asbury, Eustace Fitzpatrick, Aida Cepeda, Cristobal Vizcaino and Raul Estremera.
\”The action of these heroic individuals was truly the difference between life and death for the victim of this terrible assault,\” Mayor Menino said. \”By quickly intervening in the situation, they were able to rescue the victim and subdue the perpetrator until police arrived. On behalf of the City of Boston, I thank these individuals for their efforts to save the victim from further harm and bring a violent criminal to justice.\”
Commissioner Davis added, “On behalf of the Boston Police Department, I would like to extend our appreciation to these individuals who not only showed tremendous character and courage, but risked their own personal safety to assist someone in need. The quick thinking and swift actions of several citizens stopped this violent assault and saved this young woman’s life.”
Today’s ceremony also recognizes the efforts of the Officers and Detectives from District D-4 who initially responded to this incident and for the excellent follow-up investigation.
Incident Description:
About 8:35 a.m. on Thursday March 12, 2009 Officers Matt McCarthy and Mark Holbrook were flagged down on the corner of Shawmut Avenue and W. Dedham Street for an incident occurring on Shawmut Avenue.
Several people in the street were pointing toward the incident. Officers observed a woman, later identified as the victim, standing by the sidewalk crying, with a bed sheet around her. Officers then observed men wrestling with another man on the steps of this residence. Witnesses in the area yelled to Officers that the man on the ground tried to kill the woman and pointed to a large butcher-style knife lying on the ground. Robert Asbury, Eustace Fitzpatrick, Cristobal Vizcaino and Raul Estremera wrestled with the suspect, were able to take the knife away, flagged down the police and held him until the police arrived.
While working in the area, they heard some loud yelling and observed the suspect chasing after the victim down the stairs and out towards the street. The suspect grabbed the victim by the hair on the back of her head, bring her to the ground and attempted to drag her back towards the house. The suspect was swinging the large butcher-style knife and hit the victim in the back of the neck several times.
Ms. Aida Cepeda stated that she heard her upstairs neighbors, the victim and suspect, arguing and then saw them physically fighting. Ms. Cepeda interceded, warning the suspect to stop as she was calling the police.
Due to her actions, others were alerted and immediately stepped in, stopping the violent attack. All witnesses believed the assault was with the intent to murder the victim.
Detectives Dan MacDonald and Tim O\’Sullivan responded to handle the investigation, took several pictures of the scene, weapon and injuries and took victim statements on-scene. The victim made statements to the detectives stating that the incident began with a minor argument. She had been living in the U.S.A. for 3 years and her husband had been living in the U.S.A. for 1 year. The suspect stated he was not happy living in America and wanted to move back to China, then asked her for money to do so. The victim stated that she didn\’t have any money to give him and he began to verbally abuse her, which quickly turned violent, when the suspect began striking her and stated that he was going to kill her.
The victim suffered several cuts about her hands, arms, feet, toes, stomach and body as well as having a visible amount of hair missing from the back of her head, where the suspect grabbed her and viciously threw her to the ground. The suspect was transported to D-4 where he was booked in the usual manner and charged with Assault With Intent To Murder Armed Dangerous Weapon, Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon To Wit A Butcher Knife and Threats to Commit a Crime.
He was then brought into the Area D-4 Detectives Office interview room and interviewed via an interpreter.
During the interview the suspect stated that he “had made his mind up when he got up in the morning and he had decided to kill his wife by cutting her head off and when he did that he was going to kill himself\”.
