Teen stabbed at least 9 times in attack at Back Bay T stop

A male teenager was stabbed at least nine times yesterday during a brutal attack by a group of men on a subway platform at a Back Bay MBTA station, authorities said.

Eight to 10 young men were involved in the stabbing of the teen, said Elaine Driscoll, spokeswoman for the Boston Police Department, whose officers are investigating the attack along with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority police.

Authorities would not give specifics on the victim, other than to say he is roughly 18 years old.

The attackers and the victim seem to know each other, Driscoll said.

Investigators "do not believe it was a random attack," she said.

The stabbing occurred around 4 p.m. at the Orange Line station, and the attackers fled afterward, said Lydia Rivera, MBTA spokeswoman. She added that police may get clues of the suspects' identities after they review tapes from the station's surveillance cameras.

"This is unusual," Rivera said of the group nature of the attack.

The victim was taken to Boston Medical Center and was in critical condition last night, she said.

Yesterday, about one hour after the stabbing, city and MBTA police roped off a section of the platform where the attack occurred, and directed passengers away from the scene.

"This is a new experience," said passenger Freddy Jacobs , 36, who was waiting on the platform for the Orange Line with his wife, Nicky. The couple, who just moved from Indianapolis, had traveled downtown to close on a house they bought in Needham.

"It's been quiet here until now," Freddy Jacobs said.

Scarlette McGee , a 30-year-old nurse, watched the police officers as she stepped off the train on her way home from work.

McGee said she has never witnessed violence on the subway and would not change her commuting patterns because of the attack. "I take public transportation every day," she said. "I don't feel any danger at all."

MBTA police said anyone with knowledge of the attack or the suspects should call detectives at 617-222-1201 .

Globe correspondent Michael Naughton contributed to this report. Maria Cramer can be reached at mcramer@globe.com.