Men arrested over staged machete attack

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LAWRENCE, Mass., Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Police in Massachusetts said three men were arrested following a staged act involving a simulated machete attack at a public festival.

Lawrence police said the staged attack, which was being filmed by the performers, featured a man in a coat similar to those worn by the gun-toting teenagers in the 1999 Columbine High School attack in Colorado simulating a machete attack on the other participants in the crows during the 89th annual Feast of the Three Saints, the Boston Herald reported Thursday.

"They had a guy with a machete in a Columbine-type coat," Lawrence Police Chief John Romero said.

Participants in the stunt, which police said involved copious amounts of fake blood, told officers they were filming a scene for the Internet.

"They were disturbing the peace. Clearly people were in fear," Romero said.

Josette Osorio, 19, who police said was the man wearing the trench coat, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

Mark Hatch, 48, who Romero said was the film's director, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, as well as disturbing the peace.

Vincent Bencivenga, 29, of Lawrence was charged with disturbing the peace and making a false report.