A 27-year-old man was shoved into a departing Orange Line train at Back Bay Station in Boston on Tuesday evening, sustaining a head laceration, according to MBTA Transit Police. The incident, which occurred around 6:45 p.m., is currently under investigation, with authorities seeking witnesses and having already arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the assault.
Police say a group of teenagers attacked the man on the platform before forcibly pushing him into the train as it was pulling away. A nurse who was present at the station immediately provided aid, reporting the man was alert and oriented despite bleeding from his head. “He could’ve been killed,” the nurse told MSN, requesting anonymity due to privacy concerns.
According to a witness who spoke with WBZ-TV, the group of teenagers also threw the victim’s cellphone onto the train tracks. That witness estimated that nearly a dozen teenagers were involved, with some boarding the departing Orange Line train after the attack.
The 14-year-old boy arrested on Thursday has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Transit Police have not released further details about the suspect or potential additional arrests.
The incident comes amid reports of increasing instances of unruly behavior by teenagers on the Orange Line. One rider told WBTA, “It’s always teenagers riding their bikes going really fast into the cabins or something like that.” Another passenger stated they now feel the need to “take precautions and…be on the lookout” while riding the train.
On Monday, Transit Police also reported investigating a separate incident on the inbound Orange Line platform where a pair of thieves stole bags from a passenger before escaping on an Oak Grove-bound train. Police are asking anyone with information about that incident to contact detectives at 617-222-1050.
