Safety Alert: Three Assaults in Porter and Union Sq. Areas

Somerville Police Issue Safety Alert: Three Indecent Assaults on Women in Porter and Union Square Areas

From the Somerville Police:

Over the past three

months, there have been three assaults on women in Somerville in the Union and

Porter Square areas after dark in the evening hours and early nighttime. The Somerville Police Department is

working to identify and apprehend the suspects as quickly as possible, and we

wish to alert residents, especially women, to take safety precautions.

On Sunday, January

12, 2014, a 45-year-old female was indecently assaulted on Hawkins St. near

Somerville Avenue in the Union Square area. 

The suspect is described as a white Hispanic male, 25 to 30 years of

age, approximately 5’ 06” tall, with a medium build and brown eyes.  This suspect was wearing a black zip-up

sweater, a beanie cap with ear flaps, black tennis shoes, jeans and he was

carrying a gray back pack.

On Thursday, January

2, 2014, a 28-year-old female was indecently assaulted while walking on Porter

St. between Summer St. and Highland Ave in the Porter Square area.  The suspect is described as a white male, 20 to

30 years of age, 5’-09” to 5’-10” tall, with a thin-athletic build,  and clean shaven.  The suspect was wearing a red ski jacket with

black under the armpits and dark pants. 

The suspect fled from Porter St. down Francis St. to Conwell St.

This description

closely resembles that of a suspect who committed a similar offense on Porter

St. near Elm Street in the Porter Square area on November 18, 2013.  Whether or not one suspect is responsible for

both incidents remains under investigation.

The Somerville

Police would like to encourage everyone, especially women, to take precautions

while walking at night.  Do not wear ear

buds while walking, avoid poorly lit areas, be aware of your surroundings, and

if possible do not walk alone.  Keep your

cell phone handy, so you can make a call to police quickly. If you are

approached by a man you do not know, call 911 right away. 

Any citizen with

information regarding any of these assaults is asked to contact Sgt. Richard

Lavey at the Somerville Police Department Family Services Unit @ 617.625.1600

ext. 7237 or by email at, or the Somerville Police Criminal Investigation Division

617.625.1600 ext. 7220. Anonymous tips may also be texted to the phone number "TIP411" (

847411 ); then put "617spd" at the beginning of your text message.

A sketch of one of the suspects.