2 men killed in separate shootings
Bishop calls it ‘unacceptable’
Two men were killed in separate shootings in Dorchester early Sunday morning amid a continuing outbreak of violence this summer that prompted a local bishop to call for more resources to help bring peace to the community.
“We have to have wraparound services for the young people having challenging times, and for the adults who are dealing with certain struggles in life,” said Bishop William Dickerson of Greater Love Tabernacle in Dorchester, who has taught and counseled youth and adults in the neighborhood for decades.
Dickerson called the uptick in bloodshed amid the coronavirus pandemic “unacceptable,” and pushed for more support programs and job training.
“This is the time we must pull on all sectors of the community to bring about some positive systemic changes,” he added. “The social service agencies, health centers, community centers, churches all need to work together.”
The fatal shootings on Sunday were reported within a 10-minute window, and happened about two miles apart.
The first incident occurred at about 1:58 a.m. Officers responded to a call for a person shot on Erie Street in Dorchester.
On arrival, officers found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The man was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Then at about 2:08 a.m., officers responded to a call for shots fired in the area of Sumner and Conrad streets in Dorchester.
On arrival, officers located ballistic evidence, but were unable to find a victim.
While on scene, BPD Operations learned that a man suffering life-threatening gunshot wounds had been dropped off at a local hospital. The man was later pronounced dead.
“Any instance of violence is never acceptable in the City of Boston, and no family or community should ever have to endure this trauma,” Mayor Martin Walsh said in a statement. “As a City, we will continue to work together to keep our residents safe, to prevent violence, to intervene whenever possible, and to always be there with support services whenever tragedies like this occur.”