Police released two new videos Thursday that they say show the suspect in a series of recent violent attacks in Waltham, Massachusetts.
The first video shows the suspect running south on Prospect Street before turning west onto Bedford Street. The second shows the suspect as he walks west on Bedford Street.
Waltham police announced earlier this week that they are "dramatically increasing" patrols and offering a $5,000 reward for information about the serial attacker.
"There is definitely a fear factor in our city right now. We've never experienced anything like this," said Detective Sgt. Steve McCarthy, who has been leading the investigation into at least 10 unprovoked attacks since Nov. 10.
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"I'd be I'd be lying to you if I said I'm not losing sleep at night, you know, coming into work. This is an awful situation," McCarthy continued. "But I'm very confident that we're gonna work through this and we're gonna find the people, or persons, that are responsible for this."
Investigators offered the $5,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect during a Tuesday press conference. The Waltham Police department can be reached at (781) 314-3600 or through the anonymous tip line at (781) 314-3636.
They also released a list of dos and don'ts that residents should follow to keep safe while the attacker is at large:
| Waltham Police's Safety Dos | Waltham Police's Safety Dont’s |
| -Have 911 programmed on your cellphone. -Walk in well-lit areas or in groups. -Keep lights on outside home. -See something? Say something. | -Don’t approach someone who seems suspicious. -Don’t become distracted outside wearing headphones or on a cellphone. |
A virtual public safety meeting is being held Thursday night about the serial attacker.
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"We have not seen anything like this and Waltham is a tight, close-knit community," said Waltham city councilor Cathyann Harris, who was putting flyers into mailboxes asking people to attend.
Police believe the same man is responsible for nearly a dozen random violent assaults in which men were attacked and sometimes struck in the face or head with an object. The suspect appears to by "lying in wait," for his victims after dark, according to Waltham Police Chief Keith MacPherson, before attacking from behind without warning.
"We are, once again, urging residents to be aware of their surroundings, particularly when they were out after dark," MacPherson said. "There's definitely the potential for serious injury or even death for this type of assault."
Downtown patrol presence in Waltham has seen a dramatic increase through state and local resources, MacPherson said, both in uniform and in plainclothes, in cars and on foot. They've even deployed several drones to enhance surveillance throughout the city.
While investigators said they have identified a couple of people of interest, they have not identified a specific suspect at this point. The motive for the crimes remains unclear.
"The motive is somewhat in question but it appears to be the thrill of the assault, as someone who's very violent and enjoys seeing someone hurt by this," MacPherson said.
Five of the incidents occurred near the sprawling Gardencrest apartment complex, but the more recent five happened in the city’s downtown. The attacks have taken place between 5:30 and 11:30 p.m.
“I know that people are looking over their shoulder and feeling very worried about their safety in a way that I don’t think people were even thinking about six to seven weeks ago,” Harris said.
Police said they have no reports of a firearm being used during any of the assaults.
An eleventh incident was reported by police on Monday, though it took place before the Friday night incident. Someone was hit with a blunt object in downtown Waltham, according to an anonymous tip provided to police. McCarthy said Tuesday that investigators have not confirmed that information at this time.
