Seven people were shot during an annual Caribbean parade in Boston on Saturday morning.
The Boston Police Department said officers responded to reports of an active shooting in the area of Blue Hill Avenue and Talbot Avenue at 7:44 a.m. This was during the J'ouvert Parade, which kicked off the festivities in Boston at 6:30 a.m. The main parade, Caribbean Carnival, was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
The victims were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Boston police told Scripps News.
Police said firearms were recovered and arrests were made.
Boston City Council President Ed Flynn spoke out in a post on X.
"Today's mass shooting highlights the gun violence crisis we are facing. This is a public health & public safety emergency," Flynn wrote. "[Boston Police] continue to confiscate and recover guns at an alarming rate and now is the time to come together & develop a gun violence strategy in Boston."
Today’s mass shooting highlights the gun violence crisis we are facing. This is a public health & public safety emergency. @bostonpolice continue to confiscate and recover guns at an alarming rate and now is the time to come together & develop a gun violence strategy in Boston.
— Ed Flynn 愛德華費連 (@EdforBoston) August 26, 2023
Boston City Councilor At-Large Erin Murphy said she met with Flynn, Boston Police Captain Joseph Boyle, residents and business leaders to discuss safety and health concerns in the city.
"This is an event for children, on a Saturday morning, and it's appalling that bad actors would visit violence and evil on it," Murphy posted on X.
Police said an investigation remains ongoing.
