By Jim Clark

Police received reports from several female students of Healey School that a man had been making threatening remarks to them on school property.

The girls reportedly told police that a man, believed to be in his 30’s, had verbally accosted them, saying such things as, “I’ll beat you. I’ll kill you if you come to the projects. I’ll rob you. I’ll hit you in front of your friends.”

Believing that the students were facing a serious threat, the police decided to set up a surveillance unit in an attempt to put a stop to the unwarranted bullying.

On the afternoon of Friday, January 11, police said that they witnessed the man in question, later identified as Victor Espada, 44, walking easterly on Meacham St., toward the stairs that lead to the Somerville Housing Development. He reversed his direction, however, and entered the property of the Healey School.

Espada reportedly walked to the side entrance of the school and placed his jacket and backpack next to several students who were sitting on the bench located immediately to the right of the school entrance.

The police officers on duty immediately approached Espada and asked him to step away from the students, according to reports. The officers reported that Espada then became very agitated and boisterous, attracting a crowd of students and school staff, in spite of their efforts to have him calm down. It was reported that vehicular traffic had come to a standstill as passers-by became curious about the disturbance.

With each attempt to order Espada to calm down he reportedly became more agitated and violent in his demeanor, according to police.

School staff came to usher students inside, getting them away from the disturbing scene, police said.

Espada reportedly resisted police efforts to restrain him, but he was finally subdued and handcuffed.

A search of Espada’s backpack yielded a prescription bottle labeled as Diazepam, and reportedly labeled to another person. The bottle contained four round yellow pills. Espada explained, “A guy from the gym gave me those for my back.”

Espada was placed under arrest and charged with disorderly conduct and possession of a class C drug.