Five Shot, One Killed In Pre-J’ouvert Violence In Boston

BOSTON, CMC – The police here are investigating several violent incidents across the city in the hours before the start of Caribbean J’ouvert, that led to six people being shot , one fatally.

The police report that a 27-year-old man died from his injuries.

“Unfortunately, we’re going to be burying another person this year, because of the senseless tragedy and the amount of guns that are on the streets of our city,” said Police Commissioner William B. Evans late Saturday.

“My officers took six guns off the street last night – six guns in one night,” Evans said. “But despite their best efforts, we still had five people shot in three separate incidents with one person now dead.

“The night leading up to J’ouvert and the Caribbean Festival always proves to be one of the most violent of the year,” he added.

Evans said despite deploying a lot of extra police resources in the neighborhood the night before J’ouvert, the violence still continued.Boston’s Mayor Marty Walsh said help will be needed from other elected officials and the community in order to stop the annual J’ouvert celebration.

“If there’s a want for it, we’ll do it,” he said. “But that’s where the problems happen.”

Police statistics show flare-ups in crime in the city each year on the weekend J’ouvert is celebrated.

Last year, there were eight nonfatal shootings, six nonfatal stabbings, and one homicide

According to Evans much of the trouble arises because of the all-night party that precedes J’ouvert, during which celebrants are out in the neighborhood drinking.