Lizanna Guzman looked up from her front porch in Hyde Park Saturday afternoon to see two boys, one “drenched in blood” and clutching his little brother’s hand, running down River Street toward her, screaming.
Behind them came a teenage girl, deep stab wounds in her arm, her clothing shredded.
The older boy shouted, “The man’s gonna kill me, the man’s gonna kill me!” Guzman said. “He’s coming!”
The three children, ages 9, 12, and 15, were slashed in what Boston police described as an episode of domestic violence. They were taken to the hospital with wounds that were not considered life-threatening, said Officer James Kenneally, though one child suffered serious injuries.
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Shortly after the attack, police arrested Rock Aurelien, 51, a Boston man who police said was known to the victims. He had fled from the scene, but police found him and apprehended him peacefully, said Kenneally.
Aurelien was charged with three counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and will probably be arraigned on Monday.
After the attack, police cordoned off a brick apartment building on the 1600 block of River St. On the third floor of the building, several walls, doors, and the staircase leading to the second floor were spattered with blood.
A large blood stain on the street in front of the building was roped off with yellow crime-scene tape, and a trail of blood could be seen leading to Guzman’s home a short distance away, then down the street to a store where the children ultimately fled.
Dolores Aguilar, who lives on the third floor of the building, said her son heard screams and the sound of people running.
Aguilar said she thought the children ran along the hallway and down the stairs.
“It’s a little shocking,” Aguilar said.
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Aguilar said she did not know the children, but said she had never witnessed any violence or loud noises there before. Residents said the building was usually quiet.
When the youths arrived on her doorstep, Guzman said, she dialed 911, ordered her son inside, and tried to calm the injured children. She said the teenage girl kept yelling “Help us,” and tried to comfort the younger boy, who Guzman said appeared shocked and confused.
All three seemed terrified that the man who stabbed them was still chasing them, Guzman said, and they took off again before police arrived.
They ran about a block to the corner store. The 12-year-old boy ran inside and implored the employees, “Save my life,” according to people in the store at the time, while the girl and younger boy waited outside.
A customer called 911, and emergency responders took the children by ambulance to the hospital.
“It was maybe the longest five minutes I have ever experienced,” said Guzman. “It was traumatizing. I was scared myself.”
The brick apartment building backs up onto a park where people were fishing Saturday.
Dennis Reynolds, who was in the park, said he saw a “pretty big” man wearing a white shirt and jeans running through the park, and he helped police who were investigating.
Globe correspondent Monica Disare contributed to this article. Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @evanmallen. Jack Newsham can be reached at jack.newsham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheNewsHam.
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