Crime & Safety

Three Women Arrested in Possible Hate Crime Attack at Forest Hills T

Arrests have been made in an attack against a man who was kicked bloody in the lobby of the Forest Hills T. One of the alleged assailants said the man struck first.

Three young women have been arrested by Transit Police in connection with a possible anti-gay hate crime at the .

Police are investigating if an assault in which a man was kicked and hit by persons who were originally reported to be teenage girls, was an anti-gay hate crime, according to Channel 7. Only one of the suspects arrested is a teenager.

On Sunday at 6:38 p.m., MBTA police were called to the lobby at the station, where they found people helping a man whose face was bloodied. Police went in the direction the assailants fled, according to a police report, and caught up with one of the girls at the end of Tower Street.

Find out what's happening in Jamaica Plainwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The girl said the altercation started when the man "bumped" her with his backpack. The girl said the man took a swing at her and she struck back only in self defense, the police report said. The victim said he exchanged words with one girl and then that girl and two others jumped him and started beating and kicking him.

When the dust cleared, the man found his backpack was missing.

Find out what's happening in Jamaica Plainwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to a Channel 7 interview with MBTA Transit Police Deputy Chief Joseph O’Connor, "some statements were made relative to his sexual orientation."

Police took the case to the Suffolk District Attorney and Attorney General's office, which counseled to investigate it as a hate crime.

Three women were arrested Thursday evening in connection with the incident: Felicia Stroud, 18, of Dorchester; Erika Stroud, 21 and Lydia Sanford, 20. All three were charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot). Additionally, Felicia Stroud was to be summonsed on charges of unarmed robbery.

The mother of two of the accused told the Boston Globe there's no way her daughters would have launched a homophobic attack, because they are themselves lesbians.

There might be video of the incident. According to the police report, the attack took place in the Forest Hills lobby near the CSA booth, where a video camera is in place. The man's backpack wasn't found.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Jamaica Plain