LAWRENCE, Mass. — Police this weekend had to break up the violent remnants of an alcohol-fueled baby shower where revelers literally jumped on officers’ backs in a bloody Broadway rental hall where two people were stabbed.
Three people are facing criminal charges, including one person who was stabbed, after the 11 p.m. incident Saturday at 202 Broadway.
The two stabbed, Angel Concepion, 22, of 41 Boxford St., #2, Lawrence and Joselino Aiello, 21, of 71 Salem St., #C, Lawrence, did not suffer life-threatening injuries, Police Chief John Romero said.
Aiello was issued a criminal summons for two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, two counts of assault and battery on an emergency medical technician, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, police said.
Raul Caraballo, 43, of 108 Hancock St., #1, Lawrence was arrested and charged with two counts of assault and battery with a knife, assault with a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. Benjiman Ferrer, 22, also of 108 Hancock St., #1, Lawrence was also arrested and charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct, police said.
Police officers and paramedics who responded to the reported stabbing were punched, jumped on, spit at and covered in blood as they tried to quell the baby shower gone wild, according to reports.
Outside, a large crowd gathered and had to be dispersed by Lawrence police and state troopers who came into downtown Lawrence to assist city police.
“The amount of people relative to the on-scene officers (approximately 10 to 1) ... made for an extremely dangerous situation that we were lucky to overcome,” Police Sgt. Shawn Quaglietta wrote in his report.
Officers found Aiello, who had a laceration on the left side of his head, being held back by his cousin in the rental hall Saturday night. He was covered in blood that was streaming from his head. He repeatedly swore at police, spit blood at them that was filling the inside of his mouth and punched an officer in the face, according to the police report.
A cousin tried to pulled Aiello away from the officers and as he did so, he fell on top of the bleeding man. Once he broke free, Aiello punched an officer Dean Murphy in the head and tried to fight several others, Quaglietta wrote.
A struggle ensued and officer Eric Cerullo kicked Aiello in his midsection which temporarily subdued him. But then “many people” jumped on the backs of Murphy, Quaglietta and officer Christopher Bussey. Cerullo and officers Michael Montecalvo, Jeffrey Sapienza and Miguel Romero stood behind them and “pushed all the aggressive patrons back,” according to a police report.
As Aiello was handcuffed, he spit blood at Lawrence General Hospital paramedics John Lovett and Ryan Mueller. Aiello continued to fight as he was loaded into an ambulance and the paramedics tried to treat him, police said.
Concepcion, the other stabbing victim, was hurt as he tried to pull away a six-inch switch blade from Caraballo at Saturday night’s event, police said. He was “successful but not before sustaining a cut to the right hand,” Quaglietta wrote.
It was unclear who the baby shower was for Saturday night.
The incident remains under investigation and additional charges may be filed, police said.
Romero thanked state police for their assistance Saturday night, adding troopers have provided “great support” since the department was reduced by 40 positions, through attrition and layoffs, last July.
“They have been our partners throughout this,” he said.
Reprinted with permission from the Eagle Tribune.