Man says teens riding e-bikes assaulted him and other walkers on Methuen, Massachusetts rail trail

Police are looking to identify a group of teenagers riding e-bikes after a man says he and other walkers were assaulted on a Methuen, Massachusetts, rail trail last Friday.

The incident happened on Oct. 16 at about 5:35 p.m. near the Nevins Farm MSPCA animal shelter. Surveillance images posted by police show seven boys, believed to be between 15 and 17 years old, on e-bikes.

Greg Curtis spoke out at a Methuen City Council meeting Monday night. The self-described senior citizen said he was taking a "pleasant walk on the rail trail" when suddenly he felt a painful blow to the back.

"I was being assaulted, blindsided, punched," he said. "They all had their hoods up. One of them turned around and smiled, the one in the red hoodie, at what he had done."

Curtis said he talked to three other women on the path who said they were also assaulted and that the teens were swearing at them. Another woman also said she was almost knocked over and was afraid she'd be hurt, Curtis said.

Curtis said he's fine, but thinks something needs to be done about teenagers recklessly riding e-bikes. The Medford School Committee has considered banning e-bikes on school campuses because of a rise in accidents over the past several months.

"Maybe something can be done on a policy level, maybe even more on an enforcement level," Curtis said.

Police say it's believed the teenagers were coming from Lawrence and heading north toward Salem, New Hampshire. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.