Canton man sentenced to life in prison for shooting that left 15-year-old dead

BOSTON — Zontre Mack, 21, of Canton, has been sentenced to life in prison, with the potential of parole after 30 years, for the 2022 Dorchester shooting that left 15-year-old Curtis Ashford Jr. dead.

Last month, Mack was convicted in front of a jury for the murder, alongside charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm. Mack will serve an additional 6½ - 7½ years alongside his life sentencing. Alongside Mack, Dominick Gavin, 27, of Boston was charged and pleaded guilty in connection to the shooting, and will face 3-4 years in state prison.

Because Mack was 18 at the time of the murder, he will serve a maximum of 30 years in prison before being eligible for parole. Due to a Supreme Judicial Court ruling in 2022, anyone convicted of first-degree murder 21 or younger will sentenced to a maximum 30-year sentence before the chance at parole, while anyone 21 or older convicted will face life in prison without the chance of parole.

In a powerful statement from Ashford’s aunt, she said:

“Curtis Jr is my nephew, Curtis Sr his dad is my brother who was also taken from us 16 years ago from someone just like you. Someone who didn’t know him, someone who had no regard for the lives of others and what their actions would do to the families of the ones they hurt. I could have never imagined losing my nephew in the same manner as his dad but here we are because of what you did that day on Ellington St. You saw people out on a summer night in a residential well-lit area just enjoying the evening and you still chose to open fire on a group with no care to who may get hit in your crossfire. You are a cowardly little boy in a man’s body who had no mind of his own to think that what you were doing was wrong. The blatant disregard for the lives of other people including your own is very sad. You took the life of a young boy who had so much to live for and for that you deserve everything that you get coming to you.”

District Attorney Kevin Hayden, who responded to the scene just after the shooting, said “Curtis Ashford’s family will mourn his loss forever and Zontre Mack will spend a large portion of his adult life away from his family, all because of a quick and deadly decision to pull the trigger on an illegal gun. There is nothing but tragedy and sadness in such a scenario.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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