Boston

Man seriously hurt in Downtown Crossing stabbing; Boston police arrest suspect

Calvin Spencer, a 33-year-old from Boston who'd been wanted on charges of larceny and failing to register as a sex offender, is accused in the stabbing

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A man was seriously injured in a stabbing in Boston's Downtown Crossing Wednesday morning, and a man who was initially taken into custody is being charged, police said.

The stabbing happened about 8:13 a.m. on Winter Place near Washington Street, according to Boston police, who said the man was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He's now expected to survive.

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Calvin Spencer, a 33-year-old from Boston, was arrested, initially on outstanding warrants over larceny and failing to register as a sex offender, police said. But investigators determined he was responsible for the stabbing, bringing charges of assault and battery.

Spencer will be arraigned Thursday in Boston Municipal Court, police said. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to the charges.

Police have not said if the two men knew each other or what the motive for the crime may have been.

It's the latest in a string of crimes in the neighborhood and in nearby Boston Common.

City Councilor Ed Flynn says there has been too much drug dealing, violence, and human trafficking taking place in the area.

"With several permitted events already scheduled in Boston Common, I'm recommending these events not take place," he posted on social media. "Many parts of Boston Common are no longer safe."

Flynn spoke with NBC10 Boston later Wednesday.

"We have to address it, and we have to acknowledge we have a significant problem on these streets off of Tremont Street and in the Boston Common," he said. "At times, the Boston Common is not safe."

According to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, there have been 149 non-domestic aggravated assaults in the Downtown Crossing neighborhood this year, already surpassing last year's total of 127.

Robberies and attempted robberies are up, as well. There have been 80 so far this year, while there were 75 all of last year.

Anyone with information about what happened Wednesday was asked to contact detectives, who were still investigating, at 617-343-4571.

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