Advertisement Revere firefighter charged with assault on child Capt. Carl Holmberg charged with Halloween assault on a child Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The city of Revere confirmed Saturday that a Revere fire captain is on paid administrative leave after an altercation involving children Friday night.Sources tell 5 Investigates the altercation involved trick-or-treaters in Capt. Carl Holmberg's neighborhood.Watch NewsCenter 5's reportSerena Holmberg, Holmberg's wife, told NewsCenter 5's Liam Martin that Carl Holmberg was defending her and their 6-year-old son from a group of about 10 kids who started harassing them in the street.The incident occurred at around 7:30 p.m. near Dale Street, according to Serena Holmberg."About eight or 10 kids came and started throwing things at him, and then they left and came back with more kids, and then they stood there and taunted us and told him they were going to him up," Serena Holmberg said. Serena Holmberg said she called the police, but by the time she got off the phone, the group of kids started attacking her husband.At least two of the teens, including an 11-year-old, were injured. Carl Holmberg was arrested when police arrived, and will be arraigned Monday. He was placed on administrative leave Saturday, and faces a department hearing in the next few weeks. "By the time I got off the phone, they were jumping and attacking my husband. They came after him," Serena Holmberg said.The father of the 11-year-old allegedly struck by Carl Holmberg told NewsCenter 5's Liam Martin that Holmberg used a golf club in the altercation, and that the group took the club from Holmberg, who then retrieved it and struck at least two of them. The father of the 11-year-old, who asked to remain anonymous, said the group of kids did nothing to provoke Carl Holmberg."They cut through his yard, they was on his property," he said. "They went through his house to go get some candy, so they cut through his yard."One of the group had a fake machete, which appeared real at the time, according to Serena Holmberg."I'm horrified. I can't even talk. It was scary. My 6-year-old is horrified; he won't come home," Serena Holmberg said. Carl Holmberg is charged with three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault on a child. Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli said Carl Holmberg was placed on administrative leave because there are felony charges against him. Serena Holmberg said her husband is a firefighter of 15 years, and was only attempting to protect his family."My husband is an awesome person; he would do anything for anybody. He's a firefighter; that's what he does. He helps people. He was protecting his 6-year-old and his wife."Michael Addesa, a family friend of the Holmberg', said Carl Holmberg would never "go after anbody.""He helps everybody, he's always there to help," Addesa said. " He's a family man. There's no way he'd go after anybody." Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo said the incident is particularly troubling in light of the ages of the children involved. "Based on the ages of the kids who were involved, it's a very, very disturbing situation for me as mayor of the city," Rizzo said.