MEDFORD, Mass. — A teenager has been arrested in connection with an attack on a woman who was out on her nightly walk in Medford early this month.
Nature Moncoeur, 18, is slated to be arraigned Tuesday in Somerville District Court on charges of assault and battery and attempted kidnapping, according to the Medford Police Department.
Officers responding to the area of Main and Royall streets around 10:45 p.m. on July 3 learned that a woman in her 20s had been physically assaulted, police said.
The victim first noticed the suspect near the intersection of Boston Avenue and College Avenue, and realized he was following her, police said.
“When she made it to the end of Royall Street at Main Street, the man ran up to her, grabbed her, and struck her several times, police said in a news release. “After a brief struggle in which the woman was fighting back and screaming loudly, the suspect fled back down Royall Street toward College Avenue.”
The woman was taken to a local hospital for the treatment of minor injuries.
After police released surveillance of the suspect, two other women came forward to report they believe the same suspect followed them as well, but luckily they were never attacked.
Police say Moncoeur has a history of violent attacks against women even at a young age.
According to police reports, in 2016, when Moncoeur was only 12, he assaulted a staff member at the Brandon School in Natick, and when Natick police responded, Moncoeur punched the officer in the face.
Then in 2017, Gardner police reported Moncoeur assaulted three female staff members at Heywood Hospital, punching, kicking, and biting a nurse.
In 2020, Framingham Police say Moncoeur pulled a fire alarm at the Luk House and assaulted a female resident there by choking her.
After a weeklong investigation, Moncoeur was arrested Tuesday morning by officers executing an arrest warrant at 278 Powder House Boulevard in Somerville. he had a folding knife on him which is against the law in the city.
His defense attorney says there’s no actual video of the attack, so Moncoeur pleaded not guilty.
He’s being held on a $500 cash bail and if he’s released he’ll need to wear a GPS monitor.
In a statement, Medford Police Chief Jack Buckley said, “Thanks to the invaluable teamwork between our neighboring agencies and the community, we were able to quickly apprehend and take a dangerous suspect off the streets to ensure that our community remains safe.”
An investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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