The Hopkinton Police Department on Tuesday announced that an individual who may have allegedly “displayed aggressive behavior” near a day care center in the Wood Street area over the weekend has been identified and contacted.
UPDATE: In an email to the Independent late Tuesday night, van Raalten clarified that there is no certainty that the individual being sought is the one the police located.
“We did not positively ID the suspicious person we were alerted to,” he stated. “We believe it was him, but not 100%.”
Neighbors were notified about suspicious activity in the wooded area next to Next Generation Children’s Center at 2 Wood Street via a flyer placed in their mailboxes by an anonymous source. The flyer contained an aerial view of the area and a blurry picture of what appeared to be a man in the woods.
The flyer said that this man “displayed aggressive behavior” and that “[he] charged at a woman before realizing there were more people with her.”
“He is average height, lightly brown skin, dark brown/black hair, Afro hairstyle, somewhat skinny, and he was wearing baggy pajama pants and a baggy T-shirt,” the flyer stated.
The flyer advised residents to check their security cameras and email or call Officer Justin Cappuccio, who was stated to be “handling the case,” with any additional information.
“He does not live in any of the houses on this part of Wood Street, and has no reason to be here,” the flyer cautioned.
“We believe we have identified the individual involved and have already made contact with him,” Lt. Scott van Raalten shared in an email to the Independent Tuesday. “Prior to this, we reached out to all the local day care centers to inform them of the reported suspicious activity.”
Officers have increased patrols in and around the area, he added. He urged anyone noticing suspicious activity to contact HPD by phone rather than by email, “as officers’ email is not monitored 24/7.”
Van Raalten did not release the name of the individual in question.
The phone number for the crime tip line is 508-497-9785.
Police confirmed that they have not contacted any suspects
This information is FALSE based on a conversation with the Hopkinton Police Department. The suspect has not been identified. Please issue a redaction immediately!
Totally false! You’re putting residents in danger by publishing this when the suspect is still very much at large!