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Suspect arrested in Dorchester hammer attack
"It’s not a usual behavior to attack somebody with a hammer. What it does indicate is the need for policy changes, understanding stress and trauma in our community."
On June 20, an elderly man walking near his home in Dorchester was severely injured after being struck in the shin with a construction hammer. After seeking the public’s help locating the suspect, Boston Police arrested Michael Leony, 58, on Sunday for assault by means of a dangerous weapon on a victim over 65-years-old.
Around 2 p.m. last Sunday, officers responded to a report of a severely injured person by Columbia Road and Washington Street where they found an elderly man with a serious leg injury, according to Boston Police. The victim told police he’d been approached by an unknown male who had emerged from a stopped vehicle and hit him in the shin with a construction hammer before fleeing.
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Boston Police got video of the suspect after canvassing the area, but were not able to identify him.
On June 25, police enlisted the help of reporters at WCVB and WBZ, and after the broadcasts aired police received tips that assisted in identifying the suspect.
“I saw all the blood and it was just instant, Let me just help because I don’t want this man to hurt more,” Nena Cromartie, a neighbor, told WBZ.
Haywood Fennell told WCVB that it’s important to remember community mental health challenges with incidents like this.
“It’s not a usual behavior to attack somebody with a hammer,” he said. “What it does indicate is the need for policy changes, understanding stress and trauma in our community.”
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Leoney will be arraigned in Dorchester District Court.
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