Suffolk County District Attorney says 75% of guns on Boston streets coming from other states
By Courtney Cole, WBZ-TV
BOSTON - Too many guns on the streets of Boston. Weekend gunfire in Dorchester was just the latest in a string of violence. It led us to ask the question: Where are the guns coming from, that are being used in these shootings?
Just days after local leaders and clergy gathered at Greater Love Tabernacle in Dorchester to discuss how to cut down on crime, four more people were shot over the weekend.
"Every time, indiscriminately, guns are used, it impacts lives, and it impacts lives in a ripple-effect way, that really devastates our communities. And that's why our communities are crying out right now and we need to do something about it," said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
We met with District Attorney Hayden outside of the Roxbury branch of the Boston Public Library Monday, to get down to the bottom of how these guns are getting into the city.
"Here's what we do know: We know, statistically speaking, 75% of the guns that are on the streets here in Boston are coming from other states," Hayden said. "They're coming primarily from Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, Alabama and Georgia."
Hayden said gun trafficking that presents the greatest challenge.
"We have some of the toughest gun laws in the entire country, here in Massachusetts. But if we can't address the guns coming in from other states, then our tough gun laws don't really make a difference," Hayden told WBZ.
Hayden says he can understand how this could be frustrating to residents, because it is frustrating to him as well.
"I've commented on this before, in terms of calling out other states with gun laws that are less stringent than ours and our need for them to help in these efforts," Hayden told WBZ.
In the future, the district attorney said they're also going to work on some public campaigns that focus on the need to find a solution to this problem.
"We need public media campaigns, we need help from the private sector with resources and funding to make this happen, and we need to focus on trauma response resources and intervention and prevention resources, " said Hayden.
Hayden said while violent crime and the homicide rates are down, the number of gun arrests and number of cases involving gun possession are up.
"We're concerned about whether or not, the number of guns on our streets, gets us to the point where we reach a tipping point, because guns can drive cycles of violence, very, very quickly," said Hayden.
One of the ways local law enforcement is trying to zero-in on the gun traffickers is through a program called Boston FIRST-- which stands for Firearm Intelligence Review and Shooter Targeting Task Force.
It was introduced earlier this year by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.
"What we do is use the best in forensic technology that the ATF has available, along with Boston Police Department-- and use it track guns from the time that they are born, (i.e. make it on to the streets from a sale), to the time that they die (i.e. recovered by police in a crime)," Hayden said.
The district attorney continued by explaining that this also assists them in unsolved shooting investigations.
Louis Elisa of The Garrison-Trotter Neighborhood Association in Roxbury spoke about the problem he's seeing.
"There's less enforcement, less, investigation, less cooperation between the federal, state, and local police departments in trying to curtail the guns coming into Boston," said Elisa.
Elisa agreed that most of these guns are coming from outside of the state.
I asked, "What do you tell the people, who are a part of the neighborhood association who want to do more than be frustrated or upset?"
Elisa responded, "What we say to our residents and our friends, you know, if you see guns, say something. If you're a parent and you have a child with a gun and you're afraid to approach them, call us."
Elisa said they've been working to improve the community and its safety for the residents, for the last 44 years.
"That's the challenge we face: how do we approach the issue of guns, how do we approach the issue of gun safety, and then how we approach the issue of what causes people to think that guns-- is a way forward. That's where the schools and that's where the churches come in. How do we talk to young men and women about self-respect, self-love -- and understanding that that type of violence is not the way, " Elisa said.
And to those who say just say conditions are bad, Elisa has this message:
"I say what did you do in your church? What are you doing, as a part of your community? What are you doing as a part of the Ten Point Coalition, or as The Black Ministerial Alliance - what have you said to your parishioners about what they should be doing with your children?"
Two different conversations.
Two different men.
Two perspectives.
But one thing is clear: the community and law enforcement will ultimately have to work together to stop this issue from growing.