Two men were detained by several men identifying themselves as federal officers in Watertown near the Newton line on the morning of May 5, according to a report by Newton-based Fig City News.
Fig City’s article was based on accounts of eyewitnesses and two videos of the incident seen by Fig City News journalists.
The officials, who wore jackets with “HSI” and “Police” written on them, arrived in five unmarked vehicles. HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) is part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Photos show some of them wearing masks.
The officials surrounded a Ford Focus on Maple Street in Watertown at about 8 a.m., according to Fig City. After several minutes the agents broke windows of the car and removed one man from the passenger seat. The driver struggled free and ran several yards and was apprehended by agents near the line between Watertown and Newton on Maple Street.
Fig City News spoke to a witness who heard an agent say one of the men had multiple criminal charges. Witnesses told Fig City the agents used physical force while taking the men into custody.
Watertown News contacted the Watertown Police Department, and a spokesperson had no comment and said the Watertown Police were not involved. Newton Police told Fig City News that the NPD was not informed of the arrest in Newton, and could not confirm the information.
See more details and see photos in the Fig City News report by clicking here.
Thanks for the link, Charlie. I can certainly understand the “unease” the neighbors felt at seeing two men taken into custody on their quiet suburban street. Unfortunately, police often have to use force to detain someone resisting arrest, as 20 minutes of ignoring a direct order from law enforcement and attempting to flee the scene suggest they did. Not being a witness myself, I can’t say what force (such as alleged punching and tasing) was necessary or not. The location and time indicate the two men were under observation, as does the alleged history of criminal activity of at least one of the men. It’s certainly not illegal to be in a locked car at 8 am, and a team of police/HSI agents wouldn’t just happen upon the scene by chance. Without further reliable details, I can’t see this as anything but the legitimate arrest of at least know criminal, possibly (only possibly) in the country illegally. But I’ll be interested to follow the story as or if it develops.