A college student living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says she fought off a man who was armed with a knife, as he allegedly tried to force his way into her apartment Sunday morning.
“He was using a screwdriver to get in our door,” Julia said.
Cambridge police have identified the suspect as 35-year-old Mark Pincus, of Plymouth. He was arrested Sunday morning and faces several charges in connection with the home invasion and a separate non-fatal stabbing in East Cambridge that followed.
According to Julia, Pincus had already made it in the main door and was trying to get through a second door to her apartment.
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“All of a sudden it was this huge thump, and I went and opened the door. It was half open and then he tried to come in, so I pushed him out of the door,” she said.
Julia says she was able to lock the door, and her friend called 911.
Police say Pincus ran away from the Sciarappa Street residence and, in another unprovoked attack, about a block away, stabbed a man in his 50s while he sat in his truck near Cambridge and Fifth streets.
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A witness confirmed Pincus approached the victim while he was sitting in his truck and stabbed him in his upper body. That man was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Cambridge police said.
Officers searched the area and were able to quickly locate the suspect. According to police, Pincus resisted arrest before he was ultimately taken into custody. Officials say police recovered a knife from his jeans.
Julia later confirmed Pincus was the same person who attempted to enter her home. She and her friends say they feel fortunate that the situation didn't turnout worse, and have no idea why Pincus was trying to get in.
“There’s a knife slash like on the door. All the way down it,” said Julia’s friend, who was there at the time.
Pincus is now facing a number of felony charges, including home invasion, armed assault to murder, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, carrying a dangerous weapon, and providing a false name/social security number after an arrest.
Pincus is expected to be arraigned in Cambridge District Court on Monday morning. Attorney information was not immediately available.
