Mission Hill

Running gun battle leaves boy, 7, shot

adamg — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:02:42 -0400

Globe: Boy, 7, caught in burst of bullets while playing outside in Roxbury, on Mission Hill. At least two men, possibly a third, also shot in the Mission Main incident last night.

Boston Police report the boy was caught in gunfire between some thugs. They say that after getting shot in the stomach by one thug on a bike on Tremont, a thug and his thug pal in a Honda started looking for the shooter. When they found him on Sewall Street, they opened fire, and the little kid got hit by a stray bullet, police say. Police say the two alleged Honda thugs then switched places and the injured guy was driven to Brigham and Womens even as an ambulance was taking the kid to Boston Medical Center.

Kenny Francois, 18, of Hyde Park and, police say, not the original Honda driver, was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm, although police say they have yet to recover the gun. The Suffolk County DA's office says Francois was not charged with last night's shooting. His bail was set at $2,500 today.

Police Commissioner Ed Davis said the guilty parties in the incident should be sent away for life:

The wanton disregard for the lives of children as a result of random gunfire is unconscionable.

Live on Mission Hill? If your buzzer rings and nobody answers, be alert

adamg — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:26:11 -0400

Boston Police report a Hillside Street resident calling on Friday to report a Monday break-in told officers that not five minutes before they arrived, the buzzer rang, nobody answered, then a guy started looking in the window. Police say the suspect is a white guy, about 6'0", weighing about 180 pounds and wearing a white bandana and a blue shirt.

Police seek black van in connection with murder of Northeastern student

adamg — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:44:34 -0400

Boston Police report they want to talk to anybody who saw a black van on or near Parker Hill Avenue between 2 and 3 a.m. yesterday - about the time that Northeastern senior Rebecca Payne was being shot repeatedly in her apartment there:

Boston Police Superintendent Bruce Holloway stated, "Investigators have not yet determined whether or not Rebecca knew her assailant. Detectives will continue to follow the evidence wherever it takes us and are actively pursuing all information that comes forward."

Police have stepped up patrols on Mission Hill and are distributing brochures on how to contact police anonymously. Police say that while several nearby residents heard gunshots, none reported them to police - Payne's body was found several hours later by a building worker.

Anonymous tips can be made by calling 1-800-494-TIPS or texting "TIP" to CRIME (27463).

Earlier:
More discussion of the case.

Woman found shot to death on Mission Hill

adamg — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:12:30 -0400

Body found this morning in a Parker Hill Avenue building.

Apartment-cramming landlords, one student sue Boston

adamg — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:56:56 -0400

Over the new five-students-and-you're-out-law:

In their suit, the landlords admit to renting out homes or units to anywhere from five to eight students at a time. But they point out that the student renters have more square feet of living space than is required under state health codes.

Note: The Herald doesn't say where that one student goes to school, but for what it's worth, Facebook says she's an Eagle.

Goofus and Gallant, Criminal Edition

adamg — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:15:27 -0500

Well, we haven't had a good Northeastern party story lately. Boston Police report on an alleged Goofus at a boisterous bash around 3 this morning at 3 Folsom St. on Mission Hill.

When the squad cars arrived, most people left, but, police say, this one dude began mouthing off and refusing to tell them who he was. Even still, police say, they let him go. Then officers heard somebody banging on the door - along with a chorus of other residents complaining about it. Dude!

Officers then told the suspect that if he did not stop banging on the door he would be placed under arrest for being a Disorderly Person. As officers were going back in the apartment, the suspect pushed the door striking the officers.

So now he gets to plead innocent in Roxbury District Court to assault and battery on a police officer and disturbing the peace.

Criminal Gallant is a South Boston teen arrested yesterday evening for allegedly stealing a woman's wallet at the Shaw's at 370 Western Ave. in Brighton. When oficers found him on Lincoln Street and radioed to have the victim brought over, he allegedly told police:

"That's me! I'm the suspect. I took the lady's wallet. It's in my pocket."

Massholes and trolleys don't mix

adamg — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:52:34 -0500

Maybe it's just as well the MBTA and its predecessors have spent the last 60 years or so taking out trolley lines; imagine if there were more streets like Huntington Avenue by Mission Hill where Massholes got to scream and curse out trolley drivers for daring to stop to let passengers off?

... This guy is literally leaning out the window, screaming at the driver of the first [trolley] car. I of course had my window cracked to hear every sweet word of invective this moron was letting loose.

And then had a good chuckle because just ahead of the first car, just past the intersection, was a cop car. And as we all started moving again, guess who was getting pulled over? ...

Stamping out youth smoking

adamg — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 23:16:34 -0500

Chris Lovett discusses efforts to get stores in certain neighborhoods to stop putting up cigarette posters:

...
According to a survey by the youth group Sociedad Latina, the neighborhood with the highest percentage of store ads promoting tobacco products was Dorchester, with more than 49%. The figures were almost as high for Mattapan, South Boston and Mission Hill. ...

Arrested in the wee hours: Three street artistes and a courteous armed thug

adamg — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:11:41 -0500

Accomplished teen author and alleged
street defacer Chase Koopersmith.

Boston Police report that around 3 this morning, officers spotted five people "dumping large buckets of paint" in the street at Calumet and St. Alphonsus streets on Mission Hill. Upon spotting the coppers, the junior Pollocks began to run. The three slowest ones (Northeastern, Mass. Art and Berklee represent!) got caught:

Two of the suspects stated to officers that they were making art and making the streets colorful.

Police cast a critical eye on their work and charged Chase Koopersmith, 17, Alisa Javits, 19, and Miguel Debraganca, 21, with a palette of crimes: Damage to property by graffiti/tagging, destruction or injury to other city property, disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct.

Around 2 this morning, police responded to a report of an armed holdup at 1443 Blue Hill Ave. in Mattapan: Guy was talking to his mom as he walked home when he was held up by two guys. After he handed over his cell phone, one of the thugs gave him back his SIM card.

Gregory Robinson, 31, of Mattapan, was arrested.

All arrested are, of couse, presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

Arrest made in Mission Hill murder

adamg — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:48:56 -0400

Saraaj Abdulnur, 19, of Roxbury, arrested in Brighton on charges he fatally shot Shawndel Mitchell, 22, of Roslindale, early on Oct. 7 at 84 New Whitney St., Mission Hill.