A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with an attack that occurred at a Danvers park last weekend involving a resident who has developmental delays, an incident that has prompted sharp backlash in town.
The Danvers Police Department arrested the suspect around 1:30 p.m., a day shy of a week after the attack in the area of Holten Richmond Middle School and Plains Park last Saturday.
Officers charged the juvenile with two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery to intimidate based on disability, and assault and battery on a person with an intellectual disability.
“The Danvers Police Department continues to work in close cooperation with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office on this active and ongoing investigation,” the department said in a social media post on Friday. “In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and because juveniles are involved, additional details cannot be released at this time.”
Officers responded to a reported assault around 4:20 p.m. last Saturday, finding a victim, later identified as Chris “Ducky” Anderson, 43, injured. Emergency responders took the man to Beverly Hospital for evaluation before he was later released.
“I was scared to death of them, those kids,” Anderson told the Select Board at a meeting on Tuesday. “I want you guys to know that with all of my heart. It just breaks my heart every day, and I can’t sleep … Can you guys do more for me, please?”
Residents echoed Anderson’s experience and concerns with unruly children. Business owners also told the Select Board the out-of-control behavior is impacting their businesses, calling for there to be more police presence.
Anderson’s mother, Antoinette Anderson, highlighted she’s had “many encounters” with the teenagers, whom she called a “bunch of hoodlums.” Interactions include kids giving her the middle finger and yelling at her when she drives past them, she said.
“I am sick to death of it,” Anderson said. “When they go and damn near kill my son who wouldn’t hurt a flea I have had it right up to here. I want something done about them. Trust me when I tell you, I’ve already hired a lawyer, and I will sue them for every damn penny they will ever make.”
Select Board Chairman Daniel Bennett apologized to Chris Anderson for the experience he suffered. Bennett said he will be asking for the police chief to address the board next month about his plans to combat the rowdy behavior.
“The action of a group of juveniles, as reported to me, is most concerning,” Bennett said, reading from an email he sent to a concerned mother. “Trust that this board will take this infraction seriously, and we will express to our police department to take any and all necessary steps to curtail these outlandish incidents.”
