Assault suspect surrenders after eluding police

Boston Police Department Superintendent Daniel Linskey (center), superintendent of police, addressed a press conference Sunday about Hosea Richardson of Newton at police headquarters in Boston. (Globe Staff/ John Bohn)

The search ended peacefully yesterday for a Newton man who allegedly beat a woman in her West Roxbury home early Saturday and eluded police, who worried he was trying to commit "suicide by cop." On the run for more than 24 hours, the man surrendered in front of the Christian Science reflecting pool after a lengthy discussion with crisis negotiators.

Police said Hosea Richardson, 33, beat a female friend at her West Roxbury home at about 5 a.m. Saturday after a night of dancing at a Randolph nightclub. He then called his mother in Newton, who drove to meet him in a Dedham mall parking lot. Police arrived, but Richardson eluded them, according to a police report.

Richardson has a history of mental illness and told his mother he wasn't afraid to be killed by police, his mother and a police spokesman said Saturday.

Camilla Joy Richardson-Gates said she knows her son has many difficulties ahead, but a huge burden has been lifted off her shoulders now that she knows he is safe. She is also glad that no police officers were hurt.

"I said 'Thank you, Jesus, for your angels,' " Richardson-Gates said. "I'm just really thankful. . . . No mother wants to lose her son."

Richardson called police yesterday and said he was going to go to the Boston hospital where the beating victim was being treated and "get into a confrontation with police and the victim," said Boston police Superintendent Daniel Linskey at a press conference yesterday at police headquarters. The Globe is withholding the victim's name.

"Our crisis negotiation team began contacting the suspect and actually worked with local clergy to get him to turn himself in," Linskey said.

In the end, Linskey said, Richardson chose to "think about the future as opposed to the past."

"[He was] very calm. He is tired, and I think he just wanted to get it over with and get some help," said Sergeant Detective Courtney Matthews, head of the Boston police crisis negotiation team.

Richardson was unarmed when he was taken into custody, police said. According to the police report, Richardson-Gates said her son had two kitchen knives.

Richardson was taken to an area hospital for psychiatric evaluation. He faces charges of assault and battery and could face additional charges from several unrelated warrants, police said. He will be arraigned in West Roxbury District Court today, according to a spokeswoman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.

Richardson-Gates said yesterday that she hopes now that the healing will begin.

"Now he'll get the help he needs and the help I've been praying for," she said. "Now I'm praying for the young lady."

John Guilfoil can be reached at jguilfoil@globe.com. Maria Cramer of the Globe staff contributed to this report.