LOWELL — A Saturday morning journey to town’s new Market Basket is normally a tranquil expertise.
But as former Mayor Rodney Elliott was leaving the shop at 90 Old Ferry Road on Saturday morning, he stated he heard a lady close to checkout lane 15 shouting for any individual to name 911.
Hearing the lady’s plea, he stated he walked out of the shop anticipating to seek out an individual having a medical emergency.
“I walk outside and these kids are kicking and punching a vehicle,” Elliott stated. “That’s why I immediately hollered and they stopped momentarily. That gave the vehicle a chance to take off.”
Elliott stated a lady was contained in the automobile and it was making an attempt to go away the parking zone. Two males have been on both facet, one carrying a blue hooded sweatshirt and the opposite carrying a plaid pullover. Both faces have been coated by a blue gaiter, Elliott stated.
With the automobile taking off, Elliott stated one of many males threw a potted plant on the entrance of the Market Basket. Both males then began taunting prospects outdoors of the next-door Marshall’s, together with a navy veteran and a lady.
Initially, Elliott stated the boys began to run, however one returned brandishing a knife, which he used to taunt prospects. At this level, Elliott stated at the least three Market Basket workers had come outdoors. With a rising group of people that wished them gone, Elliott stated he took off once more.
“He starts running towards the woods, so to speak,” Elliott stated, gesturing in direction of the Bowlero bowling alley. “He runs up the back of a car, jumps off and smashed the hood. So we chase them and I’m on the phone with 911.”
Elliott, the veteran and the Market Basket workers began to chase them as they fled into the neighborhood of Townsend Avenue. As police arrived on scene, Elliott stated he stopped and informed them the route the 2 males had gone.
Deputy Police Superintendent Mark LeBlanc confirmed that police had been dispatched shortly after 10:40 a.m. for a disturbance and an grownup male was arrested for destruction of property. However, LeBlanc stated the id of the particular person wouldn’t be launched till after an arraignment in Lowell District Court.
Two managers at Market Basket declined to touch upon Sunday.
With a gaggle of dust bikers inflicting nuisances all through town, Elliott stated he doesn’t consider the incident Saturday was remoted.
“This has got to end,” Elliott stated. “People should be able to come to their Market Basket and not be in fear of being terrorized by teenagers clearly out just to wreak havoc on a Saturday morning.”
With the incident now over, Elliott stated he’s grateful to the Market Basket workers and the veteran who helped chase the 2 males, stopping them from inflicting additional hurt.
As a candidate for the sixteenth Middlesex District state consultant seat, Elliott stated he believes there needs to be extra law enforcement officials on the streets and extra focused patrols. Additionally, he desires to see an growth of psychological well being sources in public faculties.
He stated he’s heard from academics in Lowell, Chelmsford and Dracut that they’re struggling to get college students the assistance they want.
“I don’t think it’s an easy solution,” Elliott stated. “But Saturday morning people shouldn’t have to come to the local Market Basket and be harassed and (have their) cars broken.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”