BOSTON — The gunman in Boston’s latest shooting remains on the loose, yet city leaders aren’t just asking for help in this case but rather all of them, especially since shooting numbers are up this year.
"You can see my frustration," said Commissioner William Gross. "A young man working in a convenience store."
While Tanjim Siam, 23, an immigrant from Bangladesh remains in the hospital fighting for his life, city leaders are talking directly to the gunmen and their families.
"I'm telling you today to stop," said Mayor Marty Walsh. "I know the people that are committing the violence in Boston, they're not watching the news. They're not watching this press conference. But maybe some people that know them are."
After Tuesday night’s shooting at M&R Store on Shawmut Avenue, neighbors are asking the same thing.
“He’s a beautiful kid has only been here 4 months,” said an anonymous resident who says he just left the store before the shooting. “They letting these people out of jail, ain’t nothing but candy money.”
“The mentality in the street is you can do what you want because the courts are closed,” said Gross. “No grand juries, no court.”
Even though most of us have spent much of the year in quarantine, there have been six more fatal and 26 more non-fatal shootings this year than last. Sadly, this latest shooting isn’t even included in this most recent data from BPD. Gross is now blaming the judicial process.
“How dare you ask if you see something, say something and when you do, and when the person is arrested, then they’re back out on an electronic bracelet,” said Gross.
Gross says he is meeting with the store owner to talk about how police can better partner with all convenience stores to make sure they have cameras and know the officers in their community.
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