Boston police car allegedly torched by ‘violent’ crowd in South End

Two Rhode Island teens were arrested after a large crowd of people in Boston’s South End allegedly ignited and destroyed a Boston police cruiser with fireworks, the department said.

Officers found a crowd of more than 100 people — which officers referred to as “a large-scale vehicle takeover” — at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Tremont Street around 2:12 a.m., the department said in a statement Sunday morning. Several cars were stopped in the intersection and blocking traffic, police said.

When officers arrived, the crowd “immediately began attacking marked Boston Police cruisers by throwing fireworks, cones, poles, and other objects,” the department’s statement said. “One marked Boston police cruiser sustained extensive damage after being repeatedly struck with fireworks, causing smoke and fire inside the vehicle. At one point, members of the crowd jumped onto the hood of the cruiser.”

After additional units responded, the “violent crowd” was dispersed “using department-issued equipment,” the statement said. 

Julian Bowers, 18, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, was allegedly seen “throwing objects at officers and their cruisers,” the statement said. He was pursued on foot and arrested. William Cantwell, 19, of Warwick, Rhode Island, was allegedly seen repeatedly striking a cruiser with an orange pole. He was arrested “following a brief struggle,” Boston police said.

Both men are set to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court on malicious destruction of property over $1200, disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer, and resisting arrest. Cantwell was allegedly found with two packages of marijuana edibles and faces an additional charge of Possession of Class D, marijuana. No attorney information for Bowers and Cantwell was publicly listed as of Sunday evening.

The Boston Fire Department extinguished the destroyed cruiser set aflame by the fireworks, which was towed. A video shared by WCVB shows fireworks igniting in the street.

Officials have not indicated what spurred the “vehicle takeover,” but Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox warned against “illegal street racing.” 

“We will spare no expense, nor resources, making sure we hold people accountable,” Cox said, according to The Boston Globe.

A similar incident happened in Randolph overnight, where a crowd of more than 100 people allegedly attacked responding police cruisers. The department also referred to the incident as “a large-scale vehicle takeover,” which happened around 1:30 a.m. at the intersection of Oak Street and North Main Street, or Route 28. The crowd also set fireworks off.

“The individuals began to strike the cruisers with their fists and other objects, sit on the hoods of the cruisers as officers were attempting to drive, and lean against the bumpers as cruisers were attempting to navigate the area,” Randolph police said in a statement. “This was carried out by individuals who were concealing their faces with masks and videotaping themselves.”

Police did not include details about how the crowd was dispersed, and no arrests were reported, according to the Randolph police’s Facebook post.

City Councilor Ed Flynn said the alleged violent assaults “must be prosecuted.”

“It’s never acceptable to assault police officers or first responders,” he wrote on X. “If convicted, a state sentence is warranted.”

Mayor Michelle Wu also addressed the incident at an unrelated event Sunday.

“Do not come into Boston to disrespect our community and cause harm and disorder,” Wu said, per the Globe. “You’re not welcome here.”

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident in Boston to contact detectives at (617) 343-4683. Anyone who may have information about the incident in Randolph is asked to call (781)-963-1212 or text the department’s anonymous tip system at 847411.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.