THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 12, 2025 Page 9 Two youths face multiple felony charges in parking lot attack at Square One Mall T he two 15-year-old boys identified as “persons of interest” in a violent attack on a woman and her children last month in a parking lot at the Square One Mall have been criminally charged, according to Saugus Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli. “The two juveniles are being charged as juveniles and not as adults,” Ricciardelli told The Saugus Advocate this week. “They have been charged with Breaking and Entering a vehicle during the nighttime for a felony, Assault with a dangerous weapon and Assault and Battery on a child with injury. All three of these charges are felonies,” he said. With the two youths – one from Revere, the other one from Malden – being prosecuted as juveniles, police are not expected to release their identities. They will be prosecuted in Lynn Juvenile Court. E-BIKES | FROM PAGE 8 and pick her up so I see the E-bikes and scooters every day. I have spoken to several of the MSHS students that use the E-bikes and scooters and they all have told me they feel safe most of the time because they use sidewalks when available. “The rules in place by Dr Scuzzarella for MSHS are for the safety of the students and the vast majority comply while on school grounds. Like most rules, there will always be the small percentage of students who do not comply but on school grounds that is a small number. “My biggest concern is for the students who do not use sidewalks, ride in the middle of the streets, swerve in and out of cars, do not use signals to turn or ignore traffic signs on the roads. “Although the rules and regulations for E-bikes and scooters usage on public roadways is the Selectmen responsibility, since most E-bike and scooter usage is done by students, I absolutely agree Chief Ricciardelli appealed to the public for help in capturing the suspects. The Police Department released a copy of a surveillance photo to Greater Boston media outlets, which drew an “overwhelming response from the public” and quickly led to the identity of the juveniles, according to a Saugus Police spokesperson. The incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 24. Police responded to the mall after a woman reported that she and three minor children were assaulted while in the mall parking lot, according to a press release issued last month. The victim and children had exited the mall after shopping, returned to their vehicle, and discovered two young men who broke inside, police said. “The victim confronted the two individuals, at which time they exited the vehicle, one of them displayed a knife, while with collaborative effort with School Committee, Selectmen and Department of Safety to come up with regulations for the public ways combined with School District properties that would enhance student and citizen safety. “This same collaborative group should also review traffic studies, traffic flow and parking around School properties to come up with traffic flows and parking to also enhance student safety and assist local residents that are impacted the most by the same.” School Committee Member Shannon McCarthy “I am glad to see so many people in the community getting involved and looking for ways to solve the E-bike problem. To be very frank, I am not sure that a forum is the answer. In my opinion a forum is kicking the can down the road and prolonging the actions that we need to be taking now as more and more children are being hurt daily E-BIKES | SEE PAGE 19 the other punched an 11-yearold victim in the stomach,” the press release said. “The two individuals fled on foot toward the lower-level bus stop area of the mall; the victim reported to police that they laughed as they ran away. The victim then got into her car and drove to an area where she felt safe and called 911.” Police were aware that several witnesses observed the incident. The incident has sparked outrage among Saugus Advocate readers with the story receiving hits by 160 readers on the Advocate Newspapers Facebook page, many of them who were glad to see prosecution of the youths. Several readers called for them to be prosecuted as adults and their names made public because of the horrific nature of the crime. THE SUSPECTS: This photo taken by a security camera at the Square One Mall assisted Saugus Police detectives in identifying two juveniles who have been accused of assaulting a woman and three children in the mall parking lot. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate)
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