BOSTON — Transit Police say a routine transaction led to a violent attack targeting a McDonaldâs employee doing his job in Boston.
It happened around 7 p.m. Saturday at the fast-food location inside South Station.
The suspect, identified by police as 34-year-old Odair Andrade, allegedly got mad after the employee touched the lid of his drink.
According to MBTA Transit Police, Andrade punched the victim several times and hit him with a cash register.
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Boston 25 News spoke with a witness who described a relentless assault that escalated quickly.
âWe heard a loud commotion,â said Joshua Venter. âHe was closed fists punching the guy.â
Venter, who was passing through South Station to go to Hyde Park, could not believe his eyes.
âWe were surprised by what we were seeing,â he said. âIâm going to be very careful coming here.â
Transit Police officers arrested Andrade on the spot, and the injured worker was treated on scene.
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Andrade faces charges of assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property.
Some frequent South Station visitors told Boston 25 News that the beating points to a larger issue of safety concerns.
âIâm always concerned about my safety. Thereâs a lot of homelessness going on,â said Shabazz Allah. âYou got a lot of mental health issues going on with people too.â
The downtown transit hub is patrolled by a large presence of Transit Police and security officers as Boston grapples ongoing problems related to homelessness and substance use disorder.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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“No Kings” rallies are scheduled in Boston and across Massachusetts on Saturday and are expected to draw large crowds, organizers said.
Organized by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Indivisible Mass Coalition, and Mass 50501, the event is a mass mobilization in protest of the Trump administration.
The No Kings theme was created by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
“The Trump administration is trying to shred the Constitution; the No Kings movement is an unequivocal statement that we, the people, will not let that happen. This will be the third global No Kings Day, and it’s not just about protesting what’s wrong—it’s about building something better. We intend to show our power, build our power, and power a democracy that advances freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all,” organizers wrote.
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The rally, one of thousands scheduled across the country this weekend, is planned for the Boston Common from 2 to 4 p.m. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend Boston’s rally. Other events are scheduled in Pittsfield, Northampton, Lancaster, Worcester, Framingham, Methuen, Lexington, and towns in southeastern Massachusetts and the Cape. For a map of No Kings events near you, click here.
Speakers include elected officials Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Gov. Maura Healey, Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and civic leaders Hessann Farooqi Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, Darlene Lombos, president of the Greater Boston Labor Council, Carol Rose, executive director of ACLU of Massachusetts, Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers of Massachusetts, and others. It will be moderated by Rahsaan Hall, president and CEO of Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.
There will also be performances by the Dropkick Murphys, Boston Area Brigade of Activist Musicians, BVOCAL Chorus, and Jimmy Tingle.
A previous No Kings rally in October drew massive crowds estimated in the tens of thousands.
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston
An aerial view of the crowd at Boston’s “No Kings” rally on the Common on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
ALLSTON, MASS. (WHDH) – Boston police are searching for a gunman who opened fire in Allston Thursday and left one person hurt.
Police responded to a radio call for a person shot in the area of Brighton Avenue at approximately 6:46 p.m. When officers arrived, they said they found a male “juvenile” suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim’s age has not been released.
Boston police said the shooter fled the scene and remains at large. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Boston police.
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This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/42IJKIKM4FGRLOTH3Q3TBXQ2CE.jpeg?ssl=1 "‘He was closed fists’: Witness stunned by violent outburst targeting McDonald’s worker")
