Suspect held for evaluation after series of stabbings Saturday – Boston News, Weather, Sports

PLYMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) – The Martha's Vineyard man who allegedly committed a series of stabbings on the South Shore Saturday will be held at Bridgewater State Hospital for 20 days for evaluation.

Authorities say Jared Ravizza, 26, of Chilmark, stabbed four girls at a movie theater in Braintree Saturday before stabbing two others at a fast-food restaurant near Route 3 in Plymouth. Ravizza was taken into custody after crashing his Porsche in Sandwich.

“He is exhibiting signs and symptoms of an active psychotic illness,” said psychologist Dr. Kimberly Bistis, who evaluated Ravizza on Tuesday. “Given the extremely delusional nature of his beliefs, he does not demonstrate the rational ability to work with his attorney on behalf of his own defense. »

Bistis said some of those beliefs include his family's involvement in organized crime.

Officials confirmed Ravizza was also linked to the investigation into a murder earlier Saturday in Deep River, Connecticut.

For the Plymouth incident, Ravizza was arraigned on one count of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and one count of assault to modesty. Braintree police received an arrest warrant for Ravizza from Quincy District Court on four counts of assault to murder and four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. As of Tuesday, charges were still pending in Connecticut.

Ravizza is being held without bail and is expected back in court in a few weeks.

A murder in Connecticut

Connecticut State Police responded to a disturbance at a home on Merriwold Lane in Deep River just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday. According to their investigation, “a suspect approached the residence […]threw a shovel through the front door window, then left.

Residents who notified police told authorities they recognized the suspect as someone who had recently resided on nearby Maritone Lane, where witnesses said “an audible disturbance was heard” earlier in the day. Arriving at the Maritone Lane address, the officer found “an adult male with visible injuries outside”; He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim was identified as Bruce Feldman, 70, of West Hartford, Connecticut.

The police said they “quickly learned that a second individual had received information indicating that a second individual, who was no longer at the scene, was present” at the scene: Ravizza.

“Personal items belonging to Ravizza were found at the scene and witnesses provided a description consistent with Ravizza’s,” police said.

Authorities then notified surrounding Connecticut agencies and Massachusetts law enforcement of the incident, as well as the description of Ravizza's vehicle.

“Completely insane and random”

Just hours after Connecticut State Police learned something was wrong in Deep River, Braintree police responded to a frightening scene at a movie theater.

Authorities responded to the AMC Theater on Grandview Road, across from South Shore Plaza, around 6:20 p.m. following reports of several stabbings. An investigation determined that around 6 p.m., a man, believed to be Ravizza, entered the multiplex, walked past the ticket window and entered one of the theaters without paying, according to police.

There, four girls were stabbed: 9-year-old twins, their 17-year-old sister and another 17-year-old girl. Four of them are all expected to survive, according to police.

“This crime appears to be completely senseless and random, perpetrated against innocent and completely defenseless children,” Braintree police said in a statement.

Lisa Dembrowski, the mother of three of the victims, said the girls had just sat down to watch the movie when the attack happened.

“He came behind them, my eldest bent down to take something, he took her in the back, my other daughter in the chest and another across the arm, laughing all the time,” he said. -she declared, adding that the girls were “shaken”. up.”

“Physically well, I think kids are resilient, I think they're terrified of going to the movies on a Saturday night and someone could just walk in and do that,” she said .

An AMC spokesperson addressed the stabbing at AMC in Braintree in a statement Monday, saying, “The well-being of our guests and associates is AMC's top priority, and we are saddened by this senseless act of violence. »

Noonan said a visible security presence would be in place at Braintree AMC “for the immediate future.”

Ravizza fled the scene before authorities arrived.

Fear of fast food

Less than an hour later, Plymouth police received several 911 calls reporting a stabbing at McDonald's in the Route 3 rest area.

“Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel located a 21-year-old female victim with a knife laceration and she was transported to South Shore Hospital,” Plymouth County Prosecutor Timothy Cruz said. in a press release. “A second male victim, 28 years old, was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess-Plymouth Hospital for a laceration caused by a knife.”

In Plymouth District Court on Tuesday, Ravizza was flanked by guards as prosecutors laid out the timeline of events, including the Plymouth McDonald's attack.

“When he got up through the drive-thru window, he got into an argument with a male employee,” a prosecutor said. “The defendant jumped out of the window of his vehicle and stabbed the employee in the forearm with what appeared to be a large kitchen knife. He then parked his vehicle, entered the store and went behind the counter where he stabbed a female employee in the back of the left arm.

The Plymouth McDonald's worker who was stabbed told 7NEWS he is OK.

The employee, Igor Marques, helped police identify Ravizza. When asked if he felt like a hero, he replied: “I'm not a hero. »

“I’m fine,” he said.

Crushing until the end

A witness at the restaurant had noted the car's license plate number, which he reported to police, who determined it was a black 2018 Porsche Macan registered to Ravizza.

Police issued an alert about the Porsche which shortly afterwards crashed and caught fire in Sandwich.

Ravizza was taken into custody at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, ending a violent game of cat and mouse that lasted hours and spanned several states.

Investigations remain ongoing. Ravizza is expected to be arraigned on charges stemming from the Braintree incident in Quincy District Court at a later date. Criminal charges are pending in Connecticut.

Separately, on Tuesday, Plymouth County Prosecutor Tim Cruz said his focus is on the victims.

“We need to make sure that we stand up for the victims here, the children and others who have been unnecessarily injured and whose lives have been put in danger,” Cruz said.

It's a develop a story; stick with 7NEWS on air and online for the latest updates.

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