The fatal shooting of a 14-year-old from Dorchester has once more disturbed residents throughout Boston and beyond. The youth was struck multiple times in the chest by one of two men who approached him while he rode his scooter; one man restrained him while the other fired. What makes this tragedy even more troubling is that an off-duty Boston police officer witnessed the attack but could not intervene without risking his own life. Authorities have arrested two young men in connection with the crime: a 16-year-old and a 20-year-old. According to DA Dan Conley, the 16-year-old will face trial as an adult, a decision that seems appropriate. Within just five days, Boston has seen three murders, with Dorchester bearing the brunt of this violence. Yet Chelsea, a nearby community, has managed to avoid such a tide of senseless killings, recording only two homicides thus far this year, with one possibly gang-related.
What accounts for Chelsea’s relative safety compared to Boston’s struggles? The answer appears rooted in city hall’s active presence and engagement. The reach of Chelsea’s municipal government extends throughout the city, enabling police to maintain order and counter gang influence effectively. But the credit extends far beyond government alone. Organizations like ROCA, Centro Latino, the Collaborative, the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, churches, and various social clubs work daily to suppress violence and gang activity. These combined efforts keep a tight rein on anger, vengeance, and violence in ways that Boston, despite its greater resources, has not achieved. Mayor Menino’s Boston is a strong city overall, yet it harbors a critical flaw: 14-year-olds riding scooters are being murdered.
Following the death of the 14-year-old, the boy’s father expressed his anguish: “The mayor has to do something to stop the killing.” Some might initially respond to his grief with: “How can the mayor stop the killing?” Yet that answer falls short. The proper reply is: “How can the mayor allow the killing to go on?” Chelsea remains a smaller, more tightly knit place. Though poverty and gang activity touch this city too, it remains substantially safer than Dorchester. The difference is simple: conditions tolerated in Boston would not be permitted to take root here.