HATS OFF TO THE BRAVE YOUNG MAN AGE 12, WHO RAN...

Police investigate alleged attempted kidnapping
By James Vaznis, Globe Staff

Boston police are investigating a reported attempted kidnapping of a 12-year-old boy as he walked to school this morning in Dorchester.
About 8:15 a.m., an unknown man approached the boy from a vacant lot on Gallivan Boulevard, about four blocks from St. Brendan School, where the boy is enrolled. The man said “Hey,” and grabbed the boy’s right arm and started pulling him into the vacant lot, police said.
The boy broke free and ran through numerous yards and streets. The suspect pursued him for a while, following the boy onto Marsh Street before fleeing in an unknown direction.
Once arriving at school, the boy told the principal what had happened; and police were called.
“He’s going to be ok,” said Elaine Driscoll, a Boston police spokeswoman. “He had some scratches on his arm. … This young man did the right thing by heading to school and alerting an adult immediately.”
Driscoll said there have been no recent reports of attempted kidnappings in the area, but she said police have stepped up patrols and are canvassing the area for suspects.
Police described the suspect as a white male in his mid-40s or 50s, weighing 200 pounds and five feet 10 inches tall. He was wearing a black waist-length leather jacket with red sleeves, blue jeans with faded, white spots near the thighs of both legs, a black baseball cap with black sunglasses, and gray New Balance sneakers. He also had scruffy salt-and-pepper facial hair.
Anyone with information can call Boston police detectives at 617-343-4335, or leave anonymous information at 800-494-TIPS or text the word TIP to CRIME.