Pepper Spray Attack on Essex Street

The following is an excerpt from the Salem Police Department's log: 

Wednesday, July 10: 

• At 5:59 p.m., police located a man known to have an outstanding warrant on Buffum Street. Walaeldin M. Baraka, 33, of 1 Buffum St., Salem, was arrested for reportedly having an outstanding warrant.
  
• At 6:01 p.m., police responded to a report of kids jumping into traffic on Washington Square South.
• At 6:40 p.m., police checked the Broad Street Cemetery to see if people were drinking on the premises. There was reportedly no one there when they checked.
• At 6:45 p.m., police responded to a report of a person sleeping in the bushes in the park near the intersection of Chestnut and Cambridge streets. A piece of cardboard and a sofa pillow were removed from the area.
• At 6:50 p.m., police moved along a man who was found sleeping against a building on Derby Street.
• At 10:10 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious man taking pictures of a business on North Street. Officers were unable to locate the man.
• At 10:23 p.m., police responded to a report of a man breaking windows on Cross Street. Paul R. Surette, 27, of 26 Cross St., Salem, was arrested on a charge of wanton destruction of property.
• At 11:10 p.m., police responded to a loud house party on Bridge Street.
• At 11:23 p.m., police responded to a neighbor dispute on Forest Avenue.

Thursday, July 11: 

• At 12:55 a.m., police received word that a man had been assaulted and pepper-sprayed on Essex Street. A man told police that an unknown man on a bicycle had just pepper sprayed him and fled toward Lafayette Street. The victim was reportedly transported to the hospital and police were unable to locate the suspect.
• At 6:21 a.m., a man called police to report finding several solar lights and lawn statues behind Witchcraft Heights School.
• At 12:02 p.m., a Bridge Street woman called police to report that items in her house were moved overnight. The woman told police that she woke up to find that pictures hanging on the walls were slightly tilted and that her teapot was facing the wrong direction. There was no sign of forced entry and the woman was advised to lock her doors and windows.
• At 1:29 p.m., police located a woman known to have an outstanding warrant near the intersection of Lynch and Perkins streets. Jessica E. Valente, 31, of 25 Folger Ave., Beverly, was arrested for reportedly having an outstanding warrant.
• At 2:02 p.m., a hypodermic needle was discovered near the intersection of Webb and Andrew streets.
• At 3:18 p.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious package next to a house on Harbor Street.

If you have a question about this police log, please send it to owen.boss@patch.com.