Police seek suspects after St. Patrick's Day brawl in South Boston
BOSTON - Boston police are searching for suspects in connection with an attack that happened in a South Boston park on Saint Patrick's Day.
Video that has gone viral shows a brawl breaking out as a group repeatedly punches a man on the ground, then is kicked down a hill before he slams face first into an iron fence. One of the assailants then spits on him.
"It was terrible, it was terrible," said one resident walking her dog at Medal of Honor Park who has seen the video.
"It sounded like nobody did anything besides stand around and laugh. But the whole day was out of control here to be honest," said Sarah LaRosa.
It was 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at a neighborhood park usually filled with locals walking their dogs. The hill where the assault took place leads to stands by a baseball field. But on that day the atmosphere was much different according to residents. "Like a thousand teenagers were up here drinking all day. With the amount of police presence, it was surprising nobody did anything," said LaRosa.
Police are now asking the public's help to identify four suspects allegedly involved, releasing photos of a White male wearing a scally cap and Celtics shirt, and two of three other Black males, one wearing a black vest with a red hoodie, and one with a long-sleeved navy shirt and black hat and vest.
"The only good thing about it being on social media is that it brought it to people's attention to make sure things like that don't happen," said Allie Band also walking her dog in the park.
Police say they're trying to determine what led up to the violence, the video starting in what appears to be in the middle of the assault. It's a question residents would like answered as well. "If it was just a kid enjoying the parade and it happened out of left field it would be alarming. But there has to be a backstory and more to it," said another resident.
