A man in his 30s was shot dead outside the 7-Eleven on Centre Street early Saturday morning in Jamaica Plain, one of four overnight shooting incidents reported in the city.
According to the Boston Globe, the victim was a known panhandler, and used a wheelchair even though he did not need one. An official with knowledge of the investigation said it appears the man was targeted.
Alize Valentino, who lives nearby spoke about the victim:
“He would just ask, ‘Hey, buddy, how about some change when you come out?’ “ Valentino said. “If you help him out, he would say, ‘God bless, and thank you.’ ”
The Globe reports the JP shooting followed a Friday night shooting in Mattapan and two early-morning shootings in Dorchester in which victims were transported to area hospitals; one of the Dorchester victims later died:
The third shooting was reported at 3:34 a.m. at 451 Centre St. in Jamaica Plain in front of a 7-Eleven convenience store, said McCarthy.
Emergency crews arrived in four minutes, treated the victim at the scene, and transported that person to a local hospital, he said.
The article states it's unclear whether the three shootings were connected to Saturday's Carnival Day celebration and J’ouvert, which began shortly before 7 a.m. in Dorchester.