Last night around 10:15PM, officers from District D-4 (South End) responded to 1789 Washington St/African Tropical Market for a report of a person with a knife.
En route, officers were provided with descriptions of two suspects, a male and a female with specific descriptions of their clothing, age and direction of flight. Officers arrived on scene and spoke to the store clerk and a witness who stated that the suspects opened the door to the store as they were preparing to close for the night, and the male suspect produced a “box cutter” style knife and exclaimed, “I’m sticking up this place!” The store reported to officers that once the suspect brandished the knife, he slammed the door shut on the male suspect’s arm causing both suspect to flee, one toward Northampton St. and the other towards Harrison Avenue.
While officers were interviewing the clerk and a witness, other officers stopped two individuals matching the suspect descriptions in the area of 1815 Washington Street. The victim was taken to the location of the two stopped suspects and there positively identified them, stating that he was 100% sure that they were the ones who attempted to rob his store.
Suspects, Preslena A. Hasberry, 23 of Roxbury and Darius Williams, 23 of Boston were arrested and charged with Armed Assault with Intent to Rob.