City's Weekend of Violence Linked to Armed Youth Gangs

The stabbing that took place in Harvard Square this past Saturday was one of several violent incidents across the city that officials say made for a "exceptional" weekend of crime.

During a fight that broke out near the MBTA subway station Saturday night, Frank Gavin was stabbed from the behind. Gavin was released from the hospital after receiving treatment for facial wounds. His age and address have not been released by police.

Cambridge Police are investigating the incident, and they have received differing reports about the assailants and the incident, Police Chief Anthony G. Paolillo said yesterday.

"It was an exceptional Saturday night across the city," said Paolillo, noting that another incident occured in Central Square.

Another incident occured after a dance Friday evening at St. Mary's High School in Cambridge where a band of non Cambridge youths accosted some local children. Three arrests were made and no one was seriously injured, law enforcement officials said.

A week earlier six youths riding bicycles were attacked in Cambridgeport. One hospitalized youth may lose sight in one eye after facial injuries, said City Councilor Thomas W. Danehy, who joined other officials at last night's city council meeting in calling for a complete, investigation of these recent group attacks.

The incident is one of several in the past few weeks involving bands of youths roaming around the city's squares "armed with knives and guns," several Cambridge city councilors said.

At the time of Saturday night's stabbing an officer was standing at the kiosk in the Square and the situation was "under control," Paolillo said. More than a dozen Cambridge and Harvard police responded to calls about the trouble, he said.

Although the Saturday stabbing outside Out-of-Town-News is considered a rare event for the University's backyard, Paolillo said that two officers, a sergeant, and a car normally patrol Harvard Square after 9 p.m. on weekends. No increase in crime has been reported recently and greater security for the Square is not necessary, he added.

"The stabbing is new in terms of the seriousness of violence in the Square area," said Cambridge Defense Fund president J.D. Pollack, who owns the Brattle Theater. "I don't know if more police protection is warranted compared to better protection."

Several local merchants said yesterday they have not noticed a substantial increase in security problems in the Square.

Last summer, Au Bon Pain hired a security guard at nights because drunks were harassing the bakery's patrons, said Louis C. Brazil, a company spokesman.