Somerville man arrested after climbing fire escape and smashing window of ex-girlfriend’s residence on a Sunday morning

SOMERVILLE — On Sunday, September 22, 2024, at approximately 8:50 a.m. Officers Matt Lorizio and Christopher Fusco of the Somerville Police Department were dispatched to 15 Tennyson Street following a report of an unwanted party at the residence.

(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from a summary of the incident written by Officer Lorizio in the Somerville Police Department’s weekly arrest log and do not reflect any political or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)

“While en route to the call dispatch informed responding Officers the unwanted individual was Mr. Matteo Passanisi, and he was actively trying to break into the home. Officers [Cassandra] Campers, and [Brian] Pavao responded as well,” Officer Lorizio said.

According to police, Matteo James Passanisi, 34, is a resident of 46 Springfield Street in Somerville, MA.

“Once on scene I saw Passanisi on the side of the residence on the fire escape,” Officer Lorizio said. “When I asked what he was doing up there he made a series of incoherent responses.”

Officer Lorizio and Fusco ordered Passanisi to come down from the fire escape so they could speak with him.

“Once he came down and onto the porch of the home, I then asked again what Passanisi was doing on the fire escape and he could not provide any coherent explanation,” Officer Lorizio said.

Officer Lorizio said that at this time two women who reside in the home opened the front door and approached the officers on the porch. They told the officers that Passanisi was attempting to break into the home and had smashed a glass window of the residence while on the fire escape.

“At this time, I placed handcuffs on Passanisi for officer safety and had him sit down,” Officer Lorizio said.

Officer Lorizio asked if either of the women knew Passanisi, and one of them responded that he was her ex-boyfriend, and they broke up three years ago. When asked if either had invited him over that day, both women said no.

At this time, one of the women’s husband, who resided at the residence came out onto the porch and told Officer Lorizio that he told Passanisi to leave the residence multiple times and Passanisi ignored him and continued through the yard and up the fire escape.

“All occupants in the home were yelling to Passanisi to get off the fire escape but he refused and continued to try and force entry,” Officer Lorizio said. “I then went upstairs and saw signs of attempted forced entry, the window facing the fire escaped was completely smashed.”

Passanisi was arrested and charged with attempt to commit a crime, defacement malicious wanton property, and trespass.