BOSTON — A violent Fourth of July weekend in Boston left more than a dozen people injured by gunfire, killing two, in multiple shootings. Several police officers were also injured after being struck by fireworks while responding to emergencies, according to city officials.
Surveillance video from Roxbury captured the chaos Saturday night on George Street, showing people ducking for cover behind a truck as gunfire erupted. At the same time, dozens of people could be seen gathering in the street while fireworks exploded nearby.
“We respond to things and fireworks bring their own unique danger to it. That’s why they’re illegal in the first place,” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said.
Police said six people were shot on George Street, including one victim who later died. The incident was one of five separate shootings reported across the city on July 4. Another deadly shooting occurred on Blue Hill Avenue.
In total, Boston police said 13 people were shot during the holiday. Two victims died, another remains in life-threatening condition, and the remaining 10 victims are expected to survive.
The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association also released body camera video showing officers being struck by fireworks while responding to one of the scenes.
“We just don’t have enough bodies properly staffed in each district every shift, so when something like this happens, someone’s going to get hurt,” said Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association.
Calderone said he spoke with a veteran officer assigned to the Roxbury-Mattapan district who described the night as unlike anything he had experienced during his career.
“He’s been there for 14 and a half years. He’s a veteran officer on the midnight shift. He told me that this was the most horrific night in the history of him being a police officer,” Calderone said.
While the police union argues the department is understaffed for large-scale incidents, Commissioner Cox disputed that characterization.
“Contrary to the word out there, since FIFA, we’ve got many, many officers working—probably far more than any other time period,” Cox said. “As far as our department, we have a lot of people working. That being said, there were a lot of parties last night.”
Cox confirmed that several officers suffered injuries from fireworks during Saturday night’s response. Investigators are continuing to work to identify and arrest those responsible for the shootings.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu condemned the violence and said the city remains committed to reducing violent crime.
“We will not be satisfied until there is no violence anywhere in the city of Boston,” Wu said.
As of Sunday, no arrests had been announced. Police are asking anyone with information about the shootings to contact the Boston Police Department.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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