Massachusetts man arrested after stabbing at AMC theater and McDonald’s: 6 injured

A Massachusetts man has been arrested after six people, including four girls at a movie theater, were stabbed in separate attacks that state and local authorities say may be related.

The four girls were stabbed in an “unprovoked” attack Saturday night at a movie theater in Braintree, a town about 13 miles south of Boston, police said. The girls, ages 9 to 17, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the scene and taken to Boston hospitals.

About an hour later, a 21-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man were stabbed at a McDonald’s in Plymouth, a coastal town about 27 miles southeast of Braintree, according to Massachusetts State Police. Both victims were taken to area hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Although the two attacks occurred in different areas, Braintree police said it “appears as though the crimes are related.”

Braintree police said authorities identified the suspect’s vehicle and state police pursued it, which crashed in Sandwich, about 45 miles southeast of Braintree. The driver was taken into custody and taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The suspect was identified as Jared Ravizza, 26, of Chilmark, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office announced Sunday. Ravizza will face multiple charges in Plymouth District Court on Tuesday, including assault with intent to murder and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office said the investigation remains active and ongoing by the Massachusetts State Police.

“It looked like they had just watched a horror movie”

The man entered the AMC Braintree 10 at about 6 p.m. Saturday, forced his way past the ticket counter without paying and entered one of the theaters, police said. “Without saying anything and without warning, he suddenly attacked and stabbed the four young women,” police added.

The man fled the theater and drove off in a black pickup truck, according to police. Authorities were able to review surveillance footage and track his movements, including capturing the vehicle’s license plate.

“It seemed like they had seen a horror movie and not a children’s movie,” said movie buff Mateo Rojas to the Boston25 news channel. “The children were very surprised.”

Massachusetts police find suspicious vehicle in another city

A vehicle matching police description may have been involved in a robbery in Plymouth, police said.

Massachusetts State Police received several calls around 7 p.m. reporting a stabbing of two employees and a McDonald’s, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Surveillance footage appeared to show Ravizza reaching into the McDonald’s drive-thru window and stabbing the male victim with a large knife.

The footage then showed Ravizza exiting the drive-thru to park his vehicle before entering the McDonald’s and stabbing the second female victim, the county district attorney’s office said.

Ravizza fled the scene and state troopers located his vehicle in Sandwich, state police said. Troopers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it failed to stop and the suspect crashed.

“Preliminary investigation suggests a possible connection to an earlier incident at a movie theater in Braintree that resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to four juveniles,” state police said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Massachusetts stabbing rampage: 6 injured at movie theater, McDonald’s