DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Some community leaders in Boston say that as an uptick in violent crime continues, they are looking into their own ways to to address it.
Leaders gathered in front of a Dorchester barbershop where a man was recently shot and killed, where they called for change while criticizing the city’s response.
“We stand at a moment of crisis in Boston’s Black community,” said Reverend Kevin Peterson, part of the New Democracy Coalition.
Peterson has called for a state of emergency in Roxbury, Mattapan and Dorchester, and has said he and other leaders are ready to take matters into their own hands.
“I’m deeply hurt by the sense of dismissiveness from people inside the community and outside the community,” said another speaker at Friday’s conference outside of Celebrity Cuts.
Recent violent crimes included the stabbing assault of 91-year-old civil rights activist Jean McGuire, four shooting deaths in the past week and two cases of guns being found in or near Boston schools over the last two days – all of which is putting parents on edge.
“I’m really heartbroken because you leave your child every morning, thinking that they’re safe,” said Anna Felicier, a parent responding to reports of a 7-year-old bringing a loaded firearm to a school in Dorchester. “Thank God that nothing happened, but as a parent, we think the worst.”
Less than 24 hours after the incident at UP Academy Holland School, an 18-year-old was arrested outside of Excel High School where a firearm was recovered by police.
Now, local leaders are calling on neighbors to come together for a series of meetings, specifically asking for residents to attend rather than elected officials or police.
“We have appealed to the police and the mayor of our city for a public safety plan for the Black community where there is disproportionate violence,” Peterson said. “Because there has been no response, our only recourse in the Black community is to direct our efforts at addressing the issue of violence in the Black community ourselves.”
Those gathered at the conference Friday said they intend to come up with their own public safety plan, with a goal to police the community themselves. However, they are still calling on city, state and federal officials to do more.
“We can continue to say that where there is a disproportionate amount of violence, there should be a disproportionate amount of city resources and focus in those areas,” Peterson added.
The first of the meetings is expected to be held at the Gilbert Albert Community Center in Dorchester.
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