Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Boston man violently assault TPD officer.

Travis Artist
On August 1, 2016 at approximately 3:30PM a Transit Police officer assigned to the North District was on patrol at the MBTA's Harvard Sq. Station. While there his attention was drawn to a male, later identified as Travis Artist, 36, of Boston. Artist entered through the fare gates without paying. The officer approached Artist and issued him a citation for Fare Evasion. Upon receiving the citation Artist created a disturbance and was subsequently ejected and trespassed from the station.
 


Approximately 10 minutes later Artist, ignoring his trespass notice, again entered  into the station. The officer approached and explained that due to his tumultuous behavior moments earlier he would have exit the station. As the officer was escorting Artist out of the station Artist became verbally aggressive and refused to comply with the officers commands. A struggled ensued Artist violently struck the officer in the face. Due to the officer's determination and assistance from a private security guard he was able to subdue Artist. During the struggle the officer sustained multiple lacerations to the mouth and was stuck by an uncapped needle in his arm.



Artist was transported to Transit Police HQ for the arrest booking process and will be arraigned sometime today in Cambridge District Court for Assault & Battery on  PO, Resisting Arrest and Trespassing.



The officer was transported to a local area hospital for treatment.


media inquiries should be directed to Superintendent Richard Sullivan at rsullivan@mbta.com



the events listed above are allegations; All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt   
tpdnews.