Danvers Police Arrest Teen for Alleged Assault on Person with Disability

The Danvers Police Department arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with an incident last Saturday where a group of teenagers allegedly attacked a disabled man in Plains Park.

On Friday, Danvers police requested an arrest warrant for the juvenile in connection with the Oct. 12 attack, according to a release. Police arrested the teenager at 1:30 p.m.

The teen is being charged with two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery to intimidate on the basis of disability and assault and battery on a person with an intellectual disability.

The Danvers Police Department, in coordination with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, continues to investigate the incident.

Because juveniles are involved, police say no further details can be released at this time.

The arrest comes after a heated Select Board meeting on Tuesday, where the victim, Chris Anderson, known as “Ducky,” pleaded with the board.

“I was scared to death of those kids,” he told the board. “It breaks my heart every day and I can’t sleep at night. It is difficult. Can you do more for me, please?

Other attendees at the meeting demanded police action to do something about the “thugs” who have wreaked havoc on residents and businesses in downtown Danvers for years.

Residents spoke of unruly teenagers darting in and out of traffic, booing, barging in and giving them the middle finger.

What happened to Anderson was the final straw.

“These kids can’t do what they do to people,” Select Board member Maureen Bernard said at Tuesday’s meeting. “We need to take control.”

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Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime and business in the New England region.

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