A night out at the movies turned into a horrifying ordeal for four young girls when a man, identified as Jared Ravizza, launched an unprovoked stabbing attack at an AMC theater in Braintree, Massachusetts. The 26-year-old suspect from Martha’s Vineyard also stabbed two more victims at a nearby McDonald’s before leading police on a high-speed chase.
Unprovoked Attack in the Theater
The terrifying sequence of events began at approximately 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2024, when Ravizza entered the AMC Braintree 10 theater without purchasing a ticket. The girls, aged between nine and 17, were the only ones in the theater to watch the movie “IF,” a family-friendly film starring Ryan Reynolds. Without any warning, Ravizza, described as having flowing blond locks, attacked the girls with a knife, laughing all the while. They were treated in the hospital and released with non-life-threatening wounds. One girl was stabbed in the back, another in the upper chest and a third in the arm.
Lisa Dembowski, the mother of three of the victims, recounted the chilling moments to a local media outlet in Boston. “They had just taken their seats and gotten their snacks when I received a call from my sister saying my oldest daughter had contacted her, urgently telling me to get to the AMC movie theater immediately because they had been stabbed,” Dembowski recounted. She hurried to the scene and found her daughters and their friend had been attacked.
According to Dembowski, when the girls told theater employees what had happened, they were not believed. The girls had to contact the police themselves.
The Braintree Police Department reported that the suspect attacked the four young girls without any prior warning or communication. The attack appeared to be entirely unprovoked. Afterward, the man fled the theater and drove away.
Additional Victims at McDonald’s
Following the theater attack, Ravizza fled in a black 2018 Porsche Macan and drove to a McDonald’s in Plymouth, about 30 miles away. He reportedly reached through the drive-thru window and stabbed a 29-year-old male employee. Afterward, he parked his car, went inside the restaurant, and stabbed a 21-year-old female employee. Both victims were taken to local hospitals and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Surveillance footage and witness descriptions, including Ravizza’s distinctive appearance—an oversized trench coat, sunglasses, and long blond hair—helped authorities quickly identify him. The suspect’s vehicle was spotted by the Massachusetts State Police, leading to a car chase that ended when Ravizza crashed his Porsche in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
Arrest and Charges
Police arrested Ravizza around 7:15 p.m. and took him to the hospital for treatment. He now faces multiple charges, including assault with intent to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz. Authorities are also investigating his potential involvement in a murder case in Deep River, Connecticut where a body was found earlier that day.
The Connecticut State Police had issued an alert for Ravizza, describing him as “armed and dangerous” with a 10-inch knife. “A suspect in this investigation has been taken into custody in the state of Massachusetts, and there is no active threat to the public,” the State Police stated later in a news release.
Community Reactions
The Braintree community is in shock over the attacks. Lisa Dembowski expressed frustration with the initial response from AMC employees, who reportedly did not believe the girls and failed to take immediate action. “They said they all went out, they told the people at AMC, the AMC didn’t believe them, didn’t do anything, actually, and they had to call the police themselves,” Dembowski shared.
AMC announced that it is conducting a comprehensive review of the incident and will maintain a visible security presence at the Braintree location for the foreseeable future. “All our locations have multiple security measures and procedures in place, though we do not publicly share the details,” a spokesperson stated.
Ongoing Investigation
As Ravizza remains in custody, investigators from both Massachusetts and Connecticut are piecing together the events leading up to the violent spree. Neighbors and acquaintances from Martha’s Vineyard have described Ravizza as a troubled individual with a history of erratic behavior.
The authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attacks, which continue to puzzle the community. The victims, though traumatized, are expected to recover physically. The incident has sparked conversations about security measures in public places and the importance of swift, effective responses to emergencies.
