Somerville police update#

The Somerville Journal, which first published Dec.

Though the city has three newsweeklies with websites, none reported on the death Wednesday. Police did alert the public to help look for a missing 15-year-old. Neither the city nor Somerville police put out a press release or sent a tweet noting the death or the ongoing investigation. As to deaths “in a public space, I couldn’t say” when the most recent previous case had taken place, he said. The densely packed city of 81,360 people has its share of deaths, but Holland said most took place away from public eyes. In addition to the several businesses in the square, the area is a transportation hub with a T and bus stops on either side of the plaza. The body was prone on the brick walkway between an MBTA red line skylight and businesses, with trees on either side. Someone’s belongings lay on a nearby bench, including what appeared to be a backpack. Holland said he was aware of public conjecture that the death resulted from a drug overdose. Another, identifying herself as Bridget Elizabeth, remarked that the death was an example of an “epidemic that’s being brushed off and not getting much attention in Somerville considering the amount of deaths it has here.” Bless them whoever it was,” said a Facebook user identifying herself as Melissa Grace Casella. “Addiction is the worst epidemic ever to hit this country.

Members of the public talking on social media were convinced the death was due to a drug overdose.

Somerville police update#

( Update on May 12, 2022: On Thursday, Taylor said only that the death was a “medical event.”) The city’s director of communications and community engagement, Denise Taylor, did not immediately reply. Questions about the death had been left earlier in the evening by email and voice mail. “It’s an ongoing investigation,” Holland said. Michael Holland said he knew nothing about the death, having not worked when the body was found he also could say nothing about it if he did know, because such statements have to go through the city’s public information office and be vetted by lawyers, Holland said. What time the body was discovered was unknown not only publicly, but to police asked late Wednesday about the incident. with the body already covered and the area taped off. Licks ice cream shop and 7-Eleven mini mart by 8:09 a.m. Police were on the scene in front of the 4 College Ave. With no notice to the media, the public death went unreported except on the square’s active Facebook group. (Photo: Charles Teague)Ī body discovered early Wednesday in Davis Square, one of Somerville’s most trafficked locations, went unremarked upon the entire day by police and city officials. However, it is essential that we have a visible police presence with adequate resources to keep our community safe, and I seek the minister’s urgent assistance to rectify this worsening situation.Police keep watch over a body found early Wednesday in Somerville’s Davis Square. The community deeply respects and appreciates the work our local police do. It is hoped these perpetrators will be caught quickly and before they try the same thing on another unsuspecting driver. This shocking incident has left this young lady terrified. Unfortunately my requests have fallen on deaf ears, while at the same time local crime has escalated and our overworked Hastings police officers are stretched more thinly every day.Īt 10.00 pm on Friday, 16 October 2020, on Baxter-Tooradin Road, Pearcedale, a 22-year-old lady was travelling home from work when she was forced off the road by a car driven by two males, who blocked her car in and then tried to force their way into her car.įortunately, the young lady had her doors locked and thought quickly enough to drive her car up and over the gutter and along the footpath, escaping her attackers. Built by the coalition state government in 2014, this state-of-the-art police station still awaits its first local police officer.

I have repeatedly called on the minister for police to put aside petty politics and finally open the badly needed Somerville police station. My question is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the information I seek is: will the minister commit to funding the police officers needed to open the Somerville police station in next month’s state budget?