Mayor Martin J. Walsh on Monday said four fatal shootings last weekend were likely gang-related, according to a statement posted to the Boston Police Department website.
Walsh said he spoke to Police Commissioner William Evans, Superintendent in Chief William Gross and a gang unit officer on Monday about the recent homicides. A 22-year-old man was killed on Callender Street in Dorchester on Friday; a man in his twenties was killed Sunday night on Dorchester Avenue in Dorchester; and two people, a man and woman both in their twenties, were killed on Rosewood Street in Mattapan early Monday morning, according to police.
“In the coming days, I will be convening several groups to discuss actions we can take in several of the areas that I discussed with Commissioner Evans and his command staff,” Walsh said in the statement, which did not offer further specifics on what groups will be a part of the meetings. “We will work with all levels of government, law enforcement, and the community to reduce the trauma in our neighborhoods, get guns off the street, and address the underlying causes of violence.”
The new mayor noted that by this date last year, there had been 15 shootings in the city and two gun-related deaths. As of Monday, there had been 13 shootings in Boston and eight gun-related deaths in 2014, he said.
“While there is no single solution, improving public safety is among my highest priorities,” Walsh said in the statement. “This kind of violence cannot become commonplace; we should be shocked every time we hear of another shooting, of another death in our community.”
See the statement below:
STATEMENT OF MAYOR MARTIN J. WALSH ON RECENT GUN VIOLENCE:
January 27, 2014For Immediate Release: Monday, January 27, 2014
We cannot become complacent to the death of any young person in our City; we need to stop these events from happening in the first place.
Today, I asked Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans, Chief William Gross, and Gang Unit Officer Bobby Merner to brief me on recent violent events in our City. Here is what we know:
This time last year, Boston had seen 15 shootings and 2 gun fatalities. Since January 1st of this year, we have seen 13 shootings and 8 gun fatalities.
The last four shootings are likely related, and are a combination of gang violence and retaliation. It is the understanding of the Boston Police Department that there were prior relationships between the victims and the suspects.
There was also another nonfatal shooting today in Jamaica Plain, and thanks to the efforts of Boston Police and the community, a suspect is now in custody.
In the coming days, I will be convening several groups to discuss actions we can take in several of the areas that I discussed with Commissioner Evans and his Command Staff. We will work with all levels of government, law enforcement, and the community to reduce the trauma in our neighborhoods, get guns off the street, and address the underlying causes of violence.While there is no single solution, improving public safety is among my highest priorities. This kind of violence cannot become commonplace; we should be shocked every time we hear of another shooting, of another death in our community.
