BOSTON — Following three shootings within the last week, community activists are raising questions. They’re calling on city hall to address crime in what has been coined the ‘murder triangle,’ which encompasses Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury.
The recent shootings happened on Hiawatha Road in Mattapan, Dudley Street in Roxbury, and on Monday, a 61-year-old woman was gunned down in broad daylight on Washington Street.
Heather Cook is a community activist and has a sister who was shot at the age of 15. She said these shootings aren’t anything new but the way they are addressed should be.
“Murder and these independent acts of violence are not something that started overnight. I think there is a huge opportunity for the city to really, really lock in with the community,” Cook said.
Mayor Michelle Wu has been known to tout Boston as the safest city in America, and while numbers have improved over the years, activist Edwin Sumpter said that doesn’t mean the problem is fixed.
“What is she going to do in her second term? It appears right now there will be a second term, what’s going to be different?” Sumpter asked.
“Officials need to connect with the people, find out what it is that they need, what they’re lacking and get those resources to them so that we can really start to build so that we can heal,” Cook added.
Monday’s deadly shooting marks the 27th homicide of the year in Boston, more than were recorded all of last year.
“This is not anything that’s new. It’s something that we’ve seen before. There’s no evidence that these shootings are related. They seem to be sporadic, they happen, but they all have three things in common. Victims, a gun, and somebody pulling the trigger,” Sumpter said.
These activists want Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury to be treated equally and not carry such a negative connotation. They say that means boots on the ground initiatives, allocating appropriate resources, and working with those already there doing the work.
“What happens in Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan does impact the rest of the city. We are not separate. There are not two Boston’s. There’s one Boston.” Sumpter said.
The long-time activist said he wants people to be able to see these communities for more than their crime statistics but also the good things that happen and the contributions their community members have made to greater Boston.
The investigation into Monday’s shooting is ongoing. Boston25 reached out to learn what may have led up to that shooting, but Boston Police said they have no updates to share at this time. Boston25 also reached out to the mayor’s office but have yet to hear back.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
