Newton Police Search for Man in Attack on Middle Schooler

NEWTON, MA - Police in Newton are looking for a man they say assaulted a middle school student as the boy was on his way to school.

On Monday the 12-year-old boy told police he was walking to the bus when he was assaulted by the man, who also stole his cell phone.

The suspect was seen exiting an MBTA bus at Lexington Street and Roberta Road between 9 and 9:15 a.m. Once off the bus, he allegedly grabbed the boy while brandishing a large kitchen knife and threw him into the street. The man then took the boy's cell phone and left, according to police.

At 9:23 a.m. the man was seen at a restaurant on Moody Street in Waltham near the Newton line, where he left the victim's phone.

The suspect is described as a male in his early 20s, possibly Hispanic, and of medium build and height.

He was wearing a royal blue shell jacket with an attached snorkel-type hood and matching pants. White piping runs along top of hood and down the back of the jacket. His jacket has reflective bands on both arms at elbows and his pants appear to be black with reflective bands at the knees.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Newton Police at 617-796-2100 or the Newton Detective Bureau at 617-796-2104.

Photos from the Newton Police Department