Calls for state of emergency to address Boston violence go unanswered
BOSTON - It was the murder of a young mother, preceded by the murder of a teenage boy, and another young woman - all in 2 weeks' time - that motivated Reverend Kevin Peterson of the New Democracy Coalition to tape a demand letter to Boston Police's front door.
"Needless to say, the level of violence we are witnessing feels unprecedented mainly because the victims are considered the most vulnerable in our communities. The incidents of horrific violence places in bold relief the abject terror under which many law-abiding citizens and residents of these impacted community persist," it reads in part.
The letter demands Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox and Mayor Michelle Wu declare a temporary "state of emergency" to funnel resources into Boston's Black neighborhoods.
"This will not only foster a new awareness among residents in these neighborhoods that their lives matter, but will allow us, collectively, to pivot toward new ways of investing services and care into these embattled communities," the letter reads.
Peterson, flanked by other clergy and community leaders, first called for a comprehensive plan nearly two weeks ago following the stabbing of 91-year-old civil rights activist Jean McGuire in Franklin Park.
Since then, his request has gone unanswered by city leaders, he says. Yet, Peterson tells WBZ that violence continues to plague his community.
"Black people in the city are catching hell in terms of the violence that's affecting them and their families," he said.
While crime rates overall are decreasing, statistics prove that Black Bostonians are disproportionately affected. Of the more than 1,700 shootings reported to Boston Police since 2015, more than 1,300 victims were Black. Nearly three quarters of the shootings happened in Mattapan, Roxbury, and Dorchester, according to Boston Police data.
Peterson calls for increased police patrols in the short term to deter crime, and for a long-term plan crafted by community leaders in conjunction with city leaders to address the crisis.
"If it's just one life, it's a state of emergency," Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes-Anderson told WBZ. She's from Roxbury and says she's open to the idea of a state of emergency because the city is decades late in sending ample resources to these affected neighborhoods. "It would take a holistic approach and would take us to stop working in silos and connecting resources and being more efficient in how we work with each other," she explained.
When Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was asked by reporters about declaring a state of emergency Monday, she dodged the question, pointing instead to decreasing overall crime rates and city plans already being implemented. "We are all hands on deck and remain that way and will continue working as hard as we can to keep the resources where they can have the most impact," she said.
Boston Police did not respond to WBZ's request for an interview or comment.
Clergy leaders tell WBZ there will be a meeting with the Mayor on Tuesday afternoon to address the recent violence.
Following this report Monday night, Reverend Kevin Peterson was invited to the meeting.
