Thursday, 4:30 PM
Prosecutor: Gang members killed teen for no reason
By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
A Suffolk prosecutor today described a slaying last March in which he said two gang members who belonged to the Mass. Ave. Hornets drove through Roxbury one afternoon looking for somebody to kill.
The defendants -- Antwan C. Carter and Daniel Pinckney Jr., both 19 -- found Cedirick Steele, 18, standing near the intersection of Centre and Highland streets and allegedly opened fire, shooting him seven times, according to Paul Treseler, an assistant district attorney. Steele, a student at Bunker Hill Community College who worked at Meals on Wheels, just happened to be standing there.
"There was nothing more than his age and his manner of dress and where he was standing that day" that led to Steele's death, Treseler said. "He had no ill will toward the Mass. Ave Hornets."
Carter and Pinckney were arraigned today in Roxbury Municipal Court and charged with murder in the shooting death of Steele on March 14. Lawyers representing the two men and about 15 of their relatives who were in court declined to discuss the case with a reporter. In another section of the courtroom, about 50 of Steele’s relatives listened to the brief proceeding and became agitated when they heard details about his death.
Outside court, the families got into a shouting match that turned physical. A dozen police officers interceded. At least one of Steele’s relatives was taken into custody.
