DA: 2 women allegedly attacked outside Haverhill home, man in custody

HAVERHILL, MASS. (WHDH) – A large police presence gathered outside a Haverhill home Wednesday after officials said two women were allegedly attacked.

The active scene stretched the entire block of Fairview Farm Road as of 6 p.m. and police blocked off the area with crime scene tape. A sedan was seen on the side of the road with what appeared to be a smashed window.

Sources tell 7NEWS the women were hit by the car. One of the women ran for help through the woods and returned a short time later with a police officer. The man who hit them appeared to be kneeling near the injured woman where sources say he was attacking her with a box cutter.

An officer tackled that man, later identified as Jake Kavanaugh, and took him into custody.

One of the victims had to be airlifted to a Boston hospital with injuries that are considered to be life-threatening, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.

Neighbor Chris Heywood said he heard a commotion and went out to see what was happening.

“I saw a man on top of somebody so I went over there, a police officer came running across the snow and tackled him, handcuffed him, and at the same time I didn’t realize there was a body there, and police were trying to get her, turned out it was a woman who had been stabbed,” the man explained.

Heywood says both the victims and the attacker he saw handcuffed, are his neighbors.

“I have no idea what the motivation was behind it but they’ll figure it out I guess,” he said.

Authorities said they do not believe this was a random attack. So far, the names of the victims have not been released.

This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.