Melrose youth arrested behind former BRMC site
Published on August 7th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - A week of unprecedented police activity at the former Boston Regional Medical Center site on Woodland Road culminated in the arrest of a Melrose youth brandishing and threatening other youths with an unlicensed rifle.
Mark Williams, 21, of 18 North High Street, Melrose, was arrested early Sunday evening after an altercation left both Stoneham and Melrose Police heard reports of a youth brandishing a gun in the deserted area behind the former hospital.
The victim in the scuffle allegedly wrestled the rifle away from Williams, and then brought it to the Melrose Police.
Stoneham Police officials contacted Melrose Police about the Saturday evening fracas, and the possible involvement of a Melrose resident. Both departments cooperated and arrested Williams at his Melrose home at 7:18 p.m. on Sunday evening.
An argument between area youths allegedly prompted the activity at the site, and, in the midst of the altercation, Williams allegedly pulled out a rifle and began to threaten a number of the youths at the scene, and a melee over control of the gun ensued.
Stoneham Police officials were unsure of the make of the rifle, but a number of charges ensued for the illegal possession of the gun.
Williams was charged by Melrose Police with illegal possession of a firearm without an FID card, defacing the serial number of a firearm, and improper storage of a firearm, a charge of stealing a motor vehicle from Lawrence Police and Stoneham Police charges of assault, illegal possession of a firearm without a license, and assault with a dangerous weapon and several outstanding warrants.
The incident marked the second arrest within a week at the Woodland Road site, which is highly deserted in the rear after significant destruction of the existing buildings. Stoneham Police were called a total of four times to the site over the past week for altercations, youths drinking and carloads of youths just hanging out in the area.
"It hasn’t traditionally been a problem spot up there, but it seems like it could develop into one," said Stoneham Police Lt. Rick McCarthy. "The kids certainly go up there to hang out, but aren’t engaging in any of the typical activity we get called for like littering the area with trash, lighting fires or damaging the property."
"The chief complaint we get from area neighbors is the occasional call about the noise when kids are up there," said McCarthy. "For the most part, they’ve been going up there, hanging out, and then cleaning up after themselves. We, as always, will be keeping an eye on it."
Though the inactive nature of much of the site and the barren state in the rear of the property haven’t been front burner issues, the rise in police activity could be a harbinger of future tidings. The longer the property remains undeveloped, the more common it could be for area youths to find a hidden area to drink alcohol and possibly find themselves in a fight that doesn’t end quite as happily.
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