Juvenile charged with firearm possession, brandishing knife at MBTA bus driver
BOSTON, June 3, 2025 – A 15-year-old from Boston is facing several firearm and assault charges in Chelsea Juvenile Court after throwing a lighter and brandishing a knife at a MBTA bus driver while carrying a firearm with a high-capacity magazine, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
The juvenile, 15, was charged with two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a large capacity firearm, manufacturing an untraceable firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Judge David Griffin revoked the juvenile’s bail on a pending assault and battery case in Chelsea.
The juvenile will return to court on July 7 for a bail hearing.
On May 30 at approximately 9:12 p.m., MBTA Transit police responded to a call for an assault on an MBTA bus driver. The victim reported that three juveniles boarded the bus at the Bennington and Trident streets bus stop without paying the fare, leading to a verbal disagreement. The victim continued driving.
As the juveniles exited the bus at the Walley and Gladstone streets bus stop, one of the juveniles threw a cigarette lighter at the driver. The lighter struck the plexiglass partition but did not hit the victim. The victim got up, and as he stood by the bus door the same juvenile produced a knife while stepping toward him.
The juveniles then walked toward Gladstone Street. The victim flagged down a police officer and pointed out the juveniles. The victim did not sustain any injuries and declined medical attention.
A preliminary review of surveillance video corroborated the victim’s statements and description of the juvenile. The juvenile is observed throwing an object at the victim and holding another object at his side.
Officers located and arrested the juvenile without incident. During the arrest, one of the other juveniles offered to take possession of the arrested juvenile’s backpack, which officers would not allow. During booking, officers found a 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine containing 11 rounds in the backpack.
“There are numerous disturbing elements here, all made even more disturbing given the age of the person charged. Threatening anyone with a knife, in this case an MBTA driver responsible for safe transportation of passengers, is intolerable. The addition of an untraceable firearm with a high-capacity magazine makes the incident even more troubling,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications