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Guy smoking on a Mattapan trolley and two pals beat up two men after one asks him to stop smoking, DA says
By adamg on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 9:58pm
Two 18-year-olds and a younger teen were arrested at Mattapan station Sunday afternoon after they allegedly beat up two men - one who asked them to stop smoking on a trolley and one who tried to break up the fight - the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.
Kevin Jones and Joshua Venter, and a teen too young to have her name released, were arrested on charges of assault and battery on an elder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon - shod foot - assault and battery and disorderly conduct on a public conveyance following the 5:35 p.m. incident, the DA's office reports.
Transit police responded to Mattapan Station for reports of an individual being assaulted. Upon arrival, officers were notified that a group had attacked two MBTA passengers and had fled on foot. One of the victims informed officers that he observed Venter shouting at the other victim, 63, after he asked Venter to stop smoking on the trolley due to there being a passenger on board with a baby. As they exited the trolley, Venter and Jones punched the first victim with closed fists. Venter, Jones and the juvenile then attacked the second victim when he tried to intervene. Video captured by a bystander showed Venter, Jones and the juvenile stomping and kicking the second victim, who had visible lacerations on his head, lips, arms and knees.
The second victim followed Venter, Jones and the juvenile when they left the station and helped police identify them as they walked along Blue Hill Avenue.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
Even hearing about this
I'm still going to tell people to stop smoking in enclosed public spaces. I don't tolerate that shit.
I got told off by a smoker
I experience all of these symptoms when I'm around a smoker https://www.healthline.com/health/allergic-to-cigarette-smoke#symptoms . Even if the person isn't smoking but has smoked recently I'll start feeling some impact from the tobacco burning. I asked some guy in South Station to honor the no smoking sign and he yelled that I wasn't going to get cancer from one cigarette, called me a Karen, and said that he's homeless and should be allowed to smoke in public (...the T is private property...). Behavior on the T has gotten worse recently. I've started walking everywhere that I can because of things like this.
I’ve been told off many times …
… by smokers who don’t like me telling them to take their smoke elsewhere or to pick up the cigarette they just tossed on the ground. So many of them are rude and obnoxious. Once in a while one apologizes and puts the cigarette out or picks up their trash.
Most smokers have absolutely no clue how far their toxic smoke travels or how much they stink. They don’t believe it when told because they are nose deaf. Or they believe it but their drug takes precedence over everything else. Even though non offensive means of getting their fix exist.
You sure that wasn’t swirls?
Did she start saying she makes too much money an hour to waste her time on you too?
Oh, cute
I'm not going to pay rent on that space in your head, honey. Not even a security deposit.
Beware the reaction you
Beware the reaction you provoke.
That goes for ciggie smokers, too
I asked someone to stop smoking on the platform at Harvard many years ago. I was pregnant. Guy was a complete ass.
Ended up throwing up as a result of the stench ...
Well as long as you're
Well as long as you're willing to take the risk.
I recall another uHub story like this from some years
ago. We're now approaching the Clockwork Orange phase of this horrible timeline: everyday violent sociopathy by teens in public. Small comfort that in the Commonwealth, we don't shoot strangers that ring the wrong doorbell. Yet.
Make 'em disappear
Once they're arrested. they should never be seen again. Send them to some island in the Aleutians to break rocks for the rest of their lives.
I am against the attempts to
I am against the attempts to make smoking completely illegal , I think those are too strong handed. I do think as a society we need to simply just enforce current laws better. Smoking is a huge example, I see almost zero enforcement of smoking issues.
For instance this BS with people smoking right in front of building entrances. So the smoke just blows inside or you need to pass a veil of smoke to enter.
Yes, we have some perfectly good laws …
…. and regulations to protect people in public spaces. They just have no teeth.
World class. Just like London
World class. Just like London save for smoking on subway and beating up parts.
London didn't always take it seriously
They have good reason to enforce the smoking ban: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Cross_fire
Smoking on the T
Last week a student at Roxbury Community College was attacked and beaten after telling youths to stop smoking dope in front of children on an orange line train. The dope smokers followed the student out of the station and beat him senseless and sent him to the hospital. MSP is investigating the assault.
It never gets old!
It never gets old!
last week? link to story?
couldnt find anything like that with a moderate search. could you offer link please?
life pro tip
Unless someone is being violent or threatening violence it's usually best not to try to criticize or correct other people in public. You might be wrong, they might be crazy.
But, It just might be a
But, It just might be a lunatic you're looking for?
Smoking where it harms other people…
…. is an abusive violent act.
You never know how it will turn out
I feel for the guy who asked the other to stop smoking. One time I was on a crowded bus in San Francisco. A couple of guys were sitting, eating takeout. When they finished, they opened the window and tossed out their food bag and all the remnants. I was boiling mad. Assessing the situation, I tried to stay calm and just said, "Not cool, man". He told me to fuck off and got off at the next stop. He could have gone crazy on me, so I guess I got lucky.
Geren Line & Maverick Station
One evening got on a one car train at Boylson St, train reeked of pot from a smoker standing on the middle of the car. Driver did nothing.
Yesterday, while waiting for Blue Line at Maverick, a young person comes next to me and lights up a joint. I looked at them and said 'Are you joking?'. They did move to another location.
What is the function of the Red Jackets? Don't stop fare evaders or smokers.
They are T ambassadors.
They aren’t security or transit police.
I imagine one of their duties is to alert Transit Police.
I feel sorry for them sometimes.
Transit police…
kind of conspicuously absent from many of these stories.
Obviously, we can’t expect the police to be everywhere at all times. But, what would it take to ramp up their presence on the T - a few tens of millions per year?
Imagine if transit cops actually walked the beat in T stations and on trains. Do they?
Star Trek fans
know what wearing red jackets means.
On Babylon 5
...the security people didn't wear red shirts, but they all had uniforms with little targets on their chests.
Their chief was named Garibaldi, after a nineteenth century Italian nationalist leader whose movement was called the Red Shirts.