Boston got off to a violent start in 2024, with one man shot dead in the city's Dorchester neighborhood early Monday morning.
Boston police said officers responded to a report of a person shot around 5:30 a.m. and found a man with a gunshot wound in the area of High Street and Church Street.
The victim, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
"There’s no level of words that can describe the heartbreak that the family is feeling on what was supposed to be a special day,” Mayor Michelle Wu said. "I know we have all of the details and the investigation and our first responders have been on this since the early hours of the day.”
Investigators blocked off the area with yellow police tape and started canvassing the neighborhood and gathering evidence with the help of K9 officers.
Boston police have not confirmed whether the shooting happened on High Street, or if the man drove to the area after he was shot.
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Neighbors who spoke to NBC10 Boston off camera believe it happened elsewhere, saying they didn’t hear any gunfire.
No arrests have been announced, and investigators are asking anyone with information on the case to contact the Boston Police Department.
Just hours before the first fatal shooting of the year in the city -- minutes after midnight -- police responded to 277 Princeton Street where they found someone stabbed. The victim was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.
No arrests were made in that case, either.
The violence on New Year's Day comes after a violent weekend across the city, including another death in Dorchester on Saturday when police found a man who had been shot several times at 417 Geneva Ave.
Officers made the discovery shortly after midnight and are still investigating. Police haven't announced any arrests.
Later that morning, Boston firefighters who were responding to a blaze on Fairlawn Avenue were met with gunfire from inside the building.
Boston Local 718 Firefighters said in part, "Our members being faced with this level of violence and this brand of danger is entirely unacceptable."
"We couldn’t fight that fire until police controlled the scene,” Deputy Chief Michael Doherty said.
The suspected gunman was later taken into custody after hurting himself, apparently from a fall.
"He may or may not have some mental health component in the factors leading up to it but it’s still a part of our investigation,” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said.
Of the violent start to 2024, Boston's mayor says, "It’s just a reminder that we have more to do.”
Investigations are active and ongoing in these incidents.
