Man Threatens Off-Duty Firefighter, Takes Swing at Officer in Somerville: Police

SOMERVILLE, MA – A Cambridge man was arrested Saturday after an altercation during which he allegedly threatened an off-duty firefighter and took a swing at a police officer. Chris Reyes, 31, faces a number of charges including assault and battery on a police officer.

Police responded to Union Square around 11:20 a.m. Saturday morning for a report of a man threatening an off-duty firefighter. They encountered Reyes, who allegedly began shouting "ask the firefighter" and "talk to the firefighter" in a loud manner. Many bystanders had gathered to watch Reyes, police said.

Reyes, who was sitting on a bench, began to rise and officers ordered him to sit back down. According to police, he allegedly responded with an obscenity directed toward the officer and asked, "You want to go?" He then allegedly attempted to strike one of the officers on the left side of his head with a closed fist and went to grab the officer's jacket when the punch was blocked.

Police wrestled Reyes to the ground and were able to get one handcuff on his right hand, while he continued to try to fight the officers with his other hand, according to police. He was ordered numerous times to stop resisting and ultimately complied.

Police said Reyes continued to scream loudly and use profanities. He was taken into custody for charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer and threatening to commit a crime for the initial outburst directed toward an off-duty firefighter.

According to police, the target of Reyes' alleged threats said she knows Reyes from her interactions with him while on the job. She told police she said hi to him, and he screamed at her and threatened to kill her.

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