BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Boston Police Commissioner William Evans commended and awarded a special plaque to the two park rangers who were attacked and stabbed in Boston Common in October
It was captured on cellphone cameras in broad daylight: Two park rangers at the common stabbed several times by a man who has had multiple previous run-ins with the law.
On Monday, the two park rangers, four Boston police officers and four civilians who helped, stood by to get recognized and awarded for their bravery.
"I'm very appreciative," said veteran ranger Sgt. Albert Hurd.
He said there's no doubt he and his fellow ranger James Lunnin wouldn't have made it, if it wasn't for the help of many.
When the two rangers were wounded and bleeding, four civilians stepped in to help, literally giving them the shirt off their backs.
"I held my shirt to Al's stomach to prevent him from bleeding," said Teal Fechtor-Pradines. "Really, all we seemed to be thinking was, 'Is this man gonna survive?' I just had a friend die earlier and I wasn't gonna have that happen to somebody else's family."
The civilians also helped point the four police officers in the right direction to arrest Bodio Hutchinson, a well-known violent criminal police say is responsible.
The rangers remain off duty as they continue to get better.
Looking forward, city officials, police and the park rangers are evaluating whether rangers are properly armed. While they carry pepper spray and tactical batons, they don't carry stun guns or firearms.
Fox 25 first reported that pepper spray was used during the stabbing.
The chief of the park rangers service told FOX 25's Jarrod Holbrook that a decision on any possible changes isn't expected until at least next year.
The park ranger service has been around since 1982, and there's never been an incident like this one.
Cox Media Group




