Boston city councilors working to combat summer violence

BOSTON — Just four days into summer, Boston City Council held a hearing on violence in the city.

Tuesday's meeting went on for hours.

"My daughters hear fireworks and we have to try and decipher if they are bullets or not," mother Monica Cannon-Grant said Tuesday.

Violence is a year-round issue, but spikes in the summer months. One by one, members in the community affected most by violence pleaded with city councilors to take action.

"But when we talk violence prevention we mean community led and community-driven.  If it’s community-led or community-driven, it’s not going to work," said Cannon-Grant.

The meeting comes after a violent few days; a murder Sunday in Mattapan followed by a police-involved shooting Monday that left a man dead. Both happened in the daylight hours.

Boston Police say they are adding extra patrols to high-risk areas as well as parks and nightclubs.

They also say they are focusing on getting illegal weapons off the streets and are working with groups to engage more positively with the community.

There have been 21 homicides this year compared to the 24 in the same period last year.

Cox Media Group