By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to Bairos Liquor store on Broadway last week on reports of a man who having punched someone in the face.

A police officer arriving on the scene spotted the suspect, later identified as Noe Hernandez, walking westward on Broadway, shouting in Spanish.

The officer was flagged down by a man who was following Hernandez. The man pointed at Hernandez, and shouted, “That guy is running around punching people!”

With the cruiser’s blue lights activated, the officer pulled up to Hernandez at the corner of Broadway and Franklin Street, where he ordered him to stop.

Hernandez reportedly aggressively approached the officer while shouting something in Spanish. The officer observed a laceration that was bleeding on Hernandez’s face.

The officer reportedly ordered Hernandez multiple times to stop, and held his hand out, palm away, indicating that he wanted him to stop.

According to reports, Hernandez continued to approach the officer, who eventually grabbed Hernandez’s arm in an attempt to control him, but he broke away from the officer’s grip, and moved away from him.

At this point, another officer arrived on scene, as Hernandez assumed a fighting stance and rushed at the first arriving officer again.

The officer sprayed Hernandez in the face with pepper spray and he fell to his knees, and the two officers moved in to handcuff him.

Hernandez reportedly struggled physically with the officers and attempted to pull his arms away, but he was eventually wrestled to the ground.

As soon as Hernandez made contact with the sidewalk, the officers heard the sound of something metallic hitting against the concrete. A disposable razor blade was spotted lying on the sidewalk, about six inches from Hernandez, police said.

Based on Hernandez’s stance, and the way his hands were clenched, the officers believed the razor blade fell from his hand when he made contact with the ground.

After a brief struggle, the officers were able to place Hernandez in handcuffs and they called in for EMS to come and evaluate him.

A witness reportedly told police that he had observed Hernandez strike a Bairos store employee by punching him in the face. Hernandez had then allegedly pushed the witness, who did not wish to press charges or be involved in any criminal proceedings.

The officers then questioned the victim, who reportedly told them that he had an issue with Hernandez earlier in the week because he would not sell him liquor. The victim said that on this occasion Hernandez had pulled his hair.

On this day, the victim was outside the store talking to a friend of his when Hernandez allegedly approached the victim and sucker punched him on the left side of his face.

The officers observed a small laceration on the victim’s left temple, and what appeared to be some swelling.

Hernandez was evaluated by EMS personnel, but refused any medical treatment at the scene. He was then transported back to the station in the prisoner transport unit and booked on charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

EMS was then called to the station and Hernandez was transported to Somerville Hospital for treatment.