Two Park Rangers Stabbed On Boston Common
BOSTON (CBS) - A homeless man is in custody, charged with stabbing two Boston Park Rangers on Boston Common Tuesday afternoon.
A 46-year-old ranger was rushed to Mass. General Hospital with life-threatening injuries after the attack. The man, who has been a ranger for 20 years, underwent successful surgery and was moved into the intensive care unit Tuesday night.
A 23-year-old ranger was taken to Tufts Medical Center with less severe wounds.
Their names have not been released.
Boston Police Commissioner William Evans says the suspect has been identified as 34-year-old Bodio Hutchinson, a homeless man with a violent criminal record. Evans says Hutchinson lunged at the rangers without provocation.
Marlee Melvin, who was in the park for her nightly run, says the attack started over smoking.
"The [ranger] told him to put out his cigarette," Melvin said. "He said like 'no leave me alone' and they still tried to get him to do it and he just stabbed both of them."
Smoking was banned in all Boston parks last year.
The attack happened in the middle of the Common, near the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Frog Pond.
A witness told WBZ-TV that the rangers suffered significant wounds and people who happened to be in the area took their shirts off to try and stop the bleeding.
WBZ-TV's Jim Smith reports
"It was quite bloody," said witness Jackson Marchant. "One of them was walking around, was able to walk into the ambulance, he didn't look too bad. The other, pretty bad."
Witnesses say the suspect took off toward the Public Garden area where he was arrested.
Commissioner Evans credited witnesses for following the suspect after the stabbing and leading officers to his location. Evans says the knife used in the attack was thrown into the lagoon and recovered by police.
Police are asking witnesses to contact CrimeStopppers at 1-800-494-TIPS.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports
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