‘Cease fire’: Reverend calls on Boston’s Black community to turn in guns after man shot dead in city

BOSTON — A religious leader in Boston is condemning the fatal shooting of a man in Roxbury late Saturday night, and he’s calling on the city’s Black community to “cease fire” and turn in their guns to stop the violence.

The Rev. Kevin Peterson on Sunday said Christopher Shivers was gunned down on Easter weekend in Roxbury -- and he wants the community to step up and find his killer.

“We call on residents of the Black community to turn in the murderer of Christopher Shivers who was victimized in Roxbury Saturday night on the eve of Easter,” Peterson said in a statement Sunday. “Our prayers are extended to the loved ones of the deceased but we also call upon the Black community to cease fire. So far, the vast majority of murders this year have occurred in the city’s Black community. This has to stop.”

“We are at a point within Boston’s Black community where it makes sense that we call on all Black people who have guns in Boston to turn them into local churches, post offices or local police stations. And we ask that the police increase its gun buyback program to $1,000 for each gun turned in with no questions asked.”

Boston Police are urging the public to contact detectives with any information related to the fatal shooting on Columbus Avenue in Roxbury that left one man dead late Saturday night.

Around 10:17 p.m. Saturday, Boston Police responded to a call for a person shot in the area of 2055 Columbus Ave., police said.

When officers arrived, they found an adult man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

An ambulance took the man to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Further details were not released Sunday.

Anyone with information on the fatal shooting is urged to call Boston Police homicide detectives at 617-343-4470.

Citizens may also contact police by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).

Anyone in need of emotional support or who needs to talk to someone about distressing events in the community may also call the Boston Neighborhood Trauma Team, which provides free, private support 24 hours a day, at 617-431-0125.

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

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