A report of a brutal random armed attack that alarmed residents throughout Chelsea and drew considerable media attention from Boston turned out to be fabricated.
Denissa Perez, 25, of Chelsea, now faces charges of misleading a police officer in a criminal investigation.
On Sunday, January 17, just after midnight, Chelsea Police received a report at Whidden Hospital in Everett from a female victim in her 20s. According to her account, she had been walking home from work at approximately 9:30 p.m. when three male suspects attacked her in the area of Lynn Street Extension between Central Avenue and Maverick Street. The victim stated the attackers beat her with their fists, repeatedly kicked her, and slashed her with a knife.
Taking the victim’s report seriously and prioritizing public safety, the Police Department issued a widely disseminated press release early the next morning alerting the community to the alleged threat. Police Chief Brian Kyes stated that his department felt compelled to warn Chelsea residents to take general safety measures and remain vigilant in their travels throughout the city out of an abundance of caution and concern for their security.
During the comprehensive follow-up investigation that detectives conducted, however, several inconsistencies emerged in the physical and digital evidence. This pattern of discrepancies persisted throughout Sunday and continued all day Monday as police pursued the matter further.
By Monday night, investigators determined that no attack had actually occurred at Lynn Street Extension involving this victim.
What detectives actually found was that a fight had broken out inside an undisclosed address among several male parties. The alleged victim had been present at the location and attempted to intervene to stop the altercation. During this intervention, she sustained a laceration to her hand from a broken bottle that required several stitches, along with additional bruises and scrapes.
Because Perez filed a false police report, misled investigators throughout the entire inquiry, created significant fear within the city, and caused the police department to expend considerable resources investigating what was believed to be a serious violent crime, she was charged with a crime.
Perez will be arraigned in Chelsea District Court later this month on this charge and possibly additional charges related to the investigation.
Chief Kyes commended the work of Det. Sgt. Will Brizuela, Det. Scott Conley, and Officer Paul McCarthy, singling out their diligence in pursuing the investigation. “fblikebutton_button”Allegations like this that are left unchecked can bring a neighborhood and even an entire city to its knees instilling considerable fear and paralyzing residents from venturing outdoors,⟧ he remarked. Their initiative and perseverance to find the truth in this alarming incident has allowed the entire community to breath a collective sign of relief.⟧