Student Killed, 3 Injured In Shooting Near Dorchester High School

DORCHESTER (CBS) -- A 17-year-old student was killed and three other people were wounded in a shooting on Washington Street in Dorchester Wednesday afternoon, Boston Police said.

The shooting happened around 1:15 p.m. at a pizza restaurant near Jeremiah E. Burke High School. Witnesses said they heard two to three shots fired.

"We send our condolences to the family of the Burke student fatally shot today and pray one day we'll see an end to such senseless violence," Boston Public Schools said in a statement.

Two of the wounded were teens, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The other was a 67-year-old woman whose leg was grazed by a bullet.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans repeatedly asked the public to "step up" and help police get the information they need to find whoever was responsible.

"When a 17-year-old is shot outside a school, we should all be outraged," said Evans. "Shame on anyone who doesn't step up."

Evans said police "need everyone's help to get the guns off the street." He said the teen's death was the city's 13th homicide of the year.

Boston Public Schools also urged anyone with information to come forward. "We ask the community to work with the Boston Police Department so that those responsible for today's fatal shooting are held accountable."

Mayor Marty Walsh said the victim was too young to be gunned down in the middle of the daytime.

"This is certainly a very sad situation where we have a student who was in school today who was shot," said Mayor Walsh.

A student said the teen who died was a good kid. "He's a nice kid, he gets good grades everybody he hangs with gets good grades so I'm not understanding," the student told WBZ NewsRadio. "I don't know what he was doing outside of school but I know that in school he was focused."

WBZ-TV's Beth Germano reports

Students said the shooting occurred after a fire alarm was pulled.

"All of a sudden 'boom, boom, boom,'" a freshman said. "I turned around the kid dropped on the floor, I seen the other one running up the street I think he was injured he just kept running and he wouldn't stop and I asked him if he was OK."

There was heavy police activity on Washington Street, and K-9 units were used to search for the weapon in nearby yards.

"It's crazy because it happened in front of the Burke so like kids might not want to come to school tomorrow, and some kids might not even want to come out of their houses," another student said.

Those who have been working with the school community say there has been a tremendous effort to keep students safe.

"Given how hard the school has worked to do good things, it's all the more tragic and sad that we're here right now because someone's lost their life," said Rev. Mark Scott.

WBZ-TV's Beth Germano said police were also investigating a scene on Supple Street in Dorchester, where several shell casings were found.

Boston Public Schools said Burke High School, Lila G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, and Dearborn STEM Academy were placed into safe mode after the shooting.

Mayor Walsh said during the news conference that trauma counselors would be present at Burke High School Thursday to help those dealing with the aftermath of the shooting.

"One homicide is too many homicides," Walsh said. "A mother and parents are going to be notified today that their son has been killed. I think we need to do more, and we need the whole community to do more."

Victoria Johnson, a student at the school, said she had just said goodbye to the student who was killed.

"He just gave me a hug and said 'stay safe,'" Johnson said. "That's what we say every day before we leave school. He gave me a hug and I said the same back to him."

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports

In:
• Shooting
• Dorchester