Police: Man uses blood-filled needle in fight with booze-seeking minors at Forest Hills station

MBTA Transit Police report two minors trying to procure some mid-day booze at a Forest Hills liquor store wound up in a fight with a guy who jabbed himself with a needle, pulled out some blood and then told them they'd better back off because he has AIDS.

Police say Jose Soler, 47, of Hyde Park, originally agreed, shortly after 1 p.m. yesterday, to buy some liquor for a pair of underagers at the Forest Hills Liquor Mart across from the T stop. They gave him $25 and agreed to let him keep $5 as his fee. But he returned to the station without liquor, handed the teens only $3 and then walked into the station's lower busway. And that's when things got ugly:

[The two] stated they were going to beat Soler up if he didn't return the money. While in the vicinity of the lower bus way of Forest Hills Station, Soler retrieved a hypodermic needle from his shorts, and used his mouth to pull the cap off. He then stuck the hypodermic needle in his arm, withdrew some of his blood and then pulled it out. The hypodermic needle now contained blood in the tube and on the needle itself. Soler brandished the needle towards and stated "back the fuck off dog! I got AIDS." This caused [them] to back away in fear.

Police say the teens found two MBTA cops on routine patrol inside the station. The officers spotted Soler heading down to the Orange Line platform, with a clenched left fist and a bloody needle in his right. In a report, one of the officers wrote:

I grabbed Soler and told him to drop the needle. Soler dropped a needle that was partially filled with blood. I then placed handcuffs on Soler. At this time he still had his left hand clenched in a fist and I asked him to open up his left fist. Soler complied and I removed $20.00 bill from his hand.

Soler was arrested on a charge of assault by means of a hypodermic needle. Police say that officers searching Soler during booking found two one-dollar bills. Police say Soler told them he simply changed his mind while crossing the street and decided he didn't want to buy the liquor.

Innocent, etc.