Massachusetts
4 teens indicted in attack on disabled man in Massachusetts
Four teenagers were indicted this week following an attack on a disabled man in a Massachusetts town.
The Massachusetts town of Danvers has come together in support of the beloved community member with developmental disabilities, following allegations that he was brutally attacked by a group of teenagers last month.
The Indictment
Four teenagers were charged this week in connection with the assault on Christopher “Ducky” Anderson, a well-known figure in the community, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday. The suspects, three 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old, have been indicted, while warrants have been issued for two additional juveniles allegedly involved in the attack.
The Attack on Anderson
Anderson was hospitalized with broken ribs and other injuries after authorities said a group of teens lured him into the woods, where they kicked him and threw a bicycle on him.
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images
City detectives and school police collaborated with the office of District Attorney Paul F. Tucker to identify and charge the teenagers involved, Tucker said in a statement. While authorities have identified the four suspects, their names have not been released due to their status as minors.
Danvers Police Chief Jamie Lovell expressed gratitude to Anderson, his family and the community “for their unwavering support, patience, and understanding during this challenging process.”
Community Response
The attack on Anderson has sparked an outpouring of community support, NBC10 Boston reported, with residents organizing a fundraiser and local firefighters visiting him in solidarity. Anderson, a familiar and cherished figure in the town of over 28,000, is well-known for his presence around the community.
In the days following the attack, residents packed a Select Board meeting to call for stronger police action against a group of 10 to 15 teenagers who “run amok,” one attendee described the situation.
Among those who addressed the board was Anderson himself.
“It just breaks my heart every day,” Anderson said while speaking to the board. “And I can’t sleep at night time. And it’s hard. Can you guys do more for me, please?”
Antoinette Anderson, Christopher “Ducky” Anderson’s mother, urged the Select Board to take action against the teenagers, saying she “wanted something done” about those “who go and damn near kill my son.”
Speaking later to NBC10 Boston, she expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support her son has received from the community.
“I cannot believe how well they have treated him,” Anderson’s mother added while speaking to NBC 10 Boston.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Republican Sen. Ryan Fattman shut down the Senate’s session after just a few minutes Monday morning, saying he hoped to “send a message” about the Healey administration pointedly blaming President Donald Trump for a lapse in SNAP benefits in official state communications.
With SNAP benefits at risk of lapsing lapsing for about 1.1 million Bay Staters starting Saturday as a result of the federal government shutdown, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance website says that “President Trump is currently choosing to not issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table,” and the same language went out in emails and text messages to SNAP recipients.
“People need to be adults and act as such,” Fattman told NBC10 Boston. “The immaturity, the political gamesmanship, it all has to stop.”
Senator Fattman halted the Senate’s Monday session by doubting the presence of a quorum in protest of the politicization of this issue.
Fattman told the State House News Service that he has been trying to help constituents access SNAP benefits and started seeing the department’s messaging over the weekend as state-funded emails and text messages started going out.
“We’ve seen the federal government play this political game using taxpayer resources to say crazy messages and now Massachusetts is doing it under the Healey Administration,” Fattman said. “I felt that was wrong. I wanted to send a loud message that this needs to end.”
Gov. Maura Healey said that President Donald Trump has the power to distribute federal dollars that serve as a lifeline for many residents, but that Massachusetts does not have the money to cover the benefits if they are lost.
Fattman brought about an early end to Monday’s Senate session by doubting the presence of a quorum. Because a quorum of senators was not on hand and could not be rallied in about 10 minutes, the branch adjourned until Thursday. Sen. Sal DiDomenico of Everett was presiding over Monday’s session and Millbury Sen. Michael Moore arrived in the chamber about 10 minutes after Fattman’s motion.
Republicans and Democrats in Washington have been unable to agree on bills to fund government operations for the last four weeks and leaders of the two major parties have blamed each other for the shutdown.
Healey on Monday reiterated her stance about Trump’s role in the SNAP funding sitaution, and she wasn’t alone among Democratic politicians.
“They’re trying to make their resources stretch when Republicans are cutting food assistance,” Congresswoman Lori Trahan said.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts woman worries for family in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa could bring mud slides, flooding
A woman in Massachusetts is worried for her family in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa could bring catastrophic flooding to the island.
Hurricane Melissa is currently a Category 4 hurricane, but could strengthen to a Category 5 before it hits Jamaica and Haiti in the coming days. The storm could bring up to 30 inches of rain to the island and cause damage to infrastructure.
“I am really concerned about mud slides,” Framingham resident and real-estate agent JoAnn Frye said.
Frye owns an Airbnb in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, at Pyramid Point. She said that she has already lost power to her outdoor video cameras and that her home manager moved everything inside in anticipation of the storm.
“I’m very nervous. I’ve been watching this WhatsApp group because that’s how we communicate in the community,” Frye said.
Residents in Jamaica prepare for Hurricane Melissa
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, urged residents to take the storm very seriously.
“We’ve been prepared for a couple of days now. We have gas generators. We have extra water in the rooms, and then we have some larger tanks of water prepared for that, just in case power goes out. We have some solar lights,” said Frye’s cousin, Mark Walker, who lives on the island.
He plans on hunkering down with his family for the next few days.
“It’s one of those scenarios where it’s not just us, it’s everyone else, but we have a pretty good group of neighbors and friends that are close by, kind of looking out for each other,” Walker said.
Joanne says she’s glad she’s not there, but is praying for her people in Jamaica.
“I’m still scared for the people I know and love there. I’m scared for the community,” Frye said.
She said that she plans to fly down once the storm passes to check on her loved ones and her home.
For more information on Hurricane Melissa and to see its potential path, click here.
Massachusetts
Who is Michael J. Curll? 5 facts about man who attacked Trump supporter in Massachusetts
Published on: Oct 26, 2025 11:50 am IST
Michael J. Curll, 48, is facing criminal charges after allegedly attacking a man in an inflatable costume of Donald Trump in Swampscott, Massachusetts.
A man is facing criminal charges after allegedly attacking an individual in an inflatable costume of President Donald Trump in Swampscott, Massachusetts. The suspect, 48-year-old Michael J. Curll, has been accused of attacking Jonathan Silveira, a Trump supporter from Peabody, who was heading to a ‘No Kings’ protest. He was attacked near King’s Beach, and said he did not make it to the rally.
The protest, which started on Humphrey Street and was organized by North Shore Indivisible, saw a crowd of about 1,200 people.
Read More | Who is Robert Flores? Man, 66, arrested after threatening to ‘run over’ No Kings protesters in downtown San Antonio
“He came up behind me and kicked me,” Silveira told WHDH. “I lost my balance and I felt the pressure, but it was more like a push. That’s when I hit the pole. Then he kind of grabbed the railing, so I couldn’t get away or get off him. He was trying to get me to go to the ground, and I wasn’t going to the ground.”
Read More | Why are ‘No Kings’ protesters turning up in frog, chicken, rooster, T. rex costumes? Explaining the trend
Five facts to know about Michael J. Curll
- Curll violently attacked Silveira, “yelling” and “screaming,” the victim alleged. “He just didn’t want me there. He kept yelling and screaming,” Silveira said, according to NBC10 Boston. “I kept telling him to get away from me, and he kept telling people around him that he wanted to punch me in the face.”
- Silveira’s girlfriend captured the incident on video. Curll’s arrest was also captured on camera. “I don’t understand why he got that crazy. I was just trying to get a few laughs,” Silveira said. “I thought it would be a couple of back-and-forths, you know, nothing like that.”
- Curll has pleaded not guilty to the crime. He pleaded not guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
- Curll’s attorney said that it was Silveira who started the altercation, and that his client was hit in the face with a metal pole. Silveira has denied the accounts, telling NBC10 Boston, “Absolutely not. Not even close.”
- Curll is set to be back in court in December. He is now facing various unrelated charges in Massachusetts and Connecticut, including assault and battery, drug possession and criminal trespassing.
Hikers Who Love Wildlife Should Visit Wyoming’s Underrated National Monument In The Fall – Explore
Stablecoins are a shaky proposition for your savings. Here’s what to know.
Brian Bradford has been appointed SVP, Hospitality Finance at TPG Hotels & Resorts
Scientists just debunked a popular exercise myth and the truth might surprise you – Metabolic
Review | Another World: macabre human fable is a new milestone for Hong Kong animation
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
In a Looming Nuclear Arms Race, Aging Los Alamos Faces a Major Test
Whistleblower warns Illegal immigrants are sending ‘shockwave’ through crucial industry
Suspect pleads guilty to murdering former Japanese PM Abe
With food stamps set to dry up Nov. 1, SNAP recipients say they fear what’s next
How and Where the National Guard Has Deployed to U.S. Cities
-
New York5 days agoVideo: How Mamdani Has Evolved in the Mayoral Race
-
World1 week agoIsrael continues deadly Gaza truce breaches as US seeks to strengthen deal
-
News7 days agoVideo: Federal Agents Detain Man During New York City Raid
-
News7 days agoBooks about race and gender to be returned to school libraries on some military bases
-
Technology1 week agoAI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats
-
Politics1 week agoTrump admin on pace to shatter deportation record by end of first year: ‘Just the beginning’
-
Business1 week agoUnionized baristas want Olympics to drop Starbucks as its ‘official coffee partner’
-
News1 week agoTrump news at a glance: president can send national guard to Portland, for now