A wave of early-morning gunfire left eight people wounded near the intersection of Blue Hill Avenue and Talbot Avenue on Saturday, August 26, according to Boston Police Department spokesperson, Officer Michael Torigian. The incident occurred around 7:44 am during the start of the J’ouvert Parade, which starts off the annual Caribbean Carnival parades in Boston at 6:30 a.m.
The second and main parades in the Caribbean Carnival went on as planned at 1 p.m.
The victims of the shooting were treated at local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities have recovered firearms from the scene and arrested several suspects. However, the investigation remains active.
The proximity of the violence to Franklin Park, where the Caribbean American festival was scheduled raised concerns. Last year, a similar incident occurred during the J’ouvert and Carnival Parade, in which one person lost their life and others were injured. Police Commissioner Michael Cox, though, said the shootings were unrelated to the Parade and occurred on its outskirts.
Several episodes of violence associated with the Caribbean festivals in the region have been documented. Several shootings, stabbings, and confrontations, some of which were fatal, have taken place around similar festivities in Boston and Cambridge.
In response to the recent shooting, Boston City Council President Ed Flynn emphasized the importance of addressing gun violence in the city. Flynn stated that the shooting should be viewed as a public health emergency.
