In pandemic of gun violence, shootings climb 29% in Hub
Gun violence is on the rise in the city this year, with the number of shootings up 29% compared to the same time last year.
The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, a local advocacy group, draws a straight line from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to the increase in shootings.
“What’s happening with the pandemic is just contributing to all of the root causes of gun violence,” coalition Executive Director Ruth Zakarin said.
Deadly shootings are up 34%, jumping from 23 victims in 2019 to 31 in 2020, police statistics show. Boston Police provided data from Jan. 1 through Aug. 16 for both 2019 and 2020.
The jump is an outlier in city crime, which has dropped 5% overall compared to last year, according to Boston Police. Reports of major offenses like rape, robbery, and residential burglary are all down.
But city cops have seen an uptick in assaults and homicides. The neighborhood of Mattapan has experienced a surge of 50% in homicides this year, and murders in Dorchester have climbed from four victims in 2019 to 10 in 2020 — so far.
“Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our communities,” Mayor Martin Walsh said during a press conference Tuesday. “I want our residents to know that we’re focused on resources in the most highly impacted communities in the city of Boston.”
Zakarin said the loss of many youth enrichment programs, economic stress, and the overall trauma of the pandemic have fueled the rise in gun violence.
“It’s very concerning and we have to do a lot of work to ensure that we knit together a safety net of support for young people, but also for communities,” Zakarin said.
As previously reported by the Herald, the week of Independence Day culminated in seven slayings in the city. Three people — including a 15-year-old boy — were shot to death in one day. Two more fatal shootings came the following evening.
The mayor said the city is dedicated to working against gang violence, and his administration and the police department are working “around the clock” to address the issue.
“This pandemic has certainly created a scenario where many youth and young adults lack opportunities that they would otherwise depend upon. We’re working with all of our prevention partners to prevent more incidents from happening, before they happen,”
Walsh said.
Boston is not alone in its violent escalation. Chicago has seen a massive increase in shootings this year, despite having an overall drop in crime. Shootings and and homicides are also climbing in Philadelphia, where city officials were quoted asking residents to “check their homes for guns and turn them in anonymously.”