Gunshots injure 3 at block party

19-year-old critically hurt in Dorchester

Three people, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot early yesterday on a Dorchester street where neighbors said at least three cookouts were taking place.

Boston police were trying to determine yesterday what led up to the shooting that sent a 19-year-old man to Boston Medical Center with critical injuries, an 18-year-old man to Brigham and Women's Hospital with minor injuries, and the 14-year-old to Children's Hospital, Boston, also with minor injuries.

There were no suspects, and police had made no arrests last evening in the shooting around 1:20 a.m. on Leroy Street, off Geneva Avenue.

Three people were arrested on weapons charges nearby later in the morning, but officials said the events were believed unrelated.

The shots rang out at the conclusion of an impromptu block party that area residents said had been loud but peaceful.

"They were partying for a while," said a woman who lives nearby but declined to give her name to a reporter. "Everything was fine. They were having fun."

She said she saw a boy clutch his abdomen and run inside the house after she heard the shots.

A Boston police spokesman said there was no indication of problems on the street before the shooting.

Two hours later, police were responding to a report of a loud party on Kenberma Street in Dorchester at 3:10 a.m. when they heard a man threaten a woman standing in the street before he drove off. Officers followed and watched him pick up a second man.

Officers continued to follow the car, this time with lights and sirens activated, and saw something thrown from the vehicle on Tremlett Street.

The vehicle stopped at Park Street and Geneva Avenue.

Police said that on Tremlett Street they recovered a loaded, semiautomatic weapon and a hat belonging to one of the suspects.

Tyrone B. Johnson, 34, who was identified as the driver, and Rhondo Luis Robinson, the 27-year-old passenger he picked up, were arrested.

A female passenger, 29-year-old Towana Salters, also was arrested.

The suspects all have Dorchester addresses.

They were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

A Boston police spokesman said investigators had no reason to believe the shootings and the arrests were related, despite their proximity.

The number of nonfatal shootings in Boston is slightly down from last year, according to the most recent statistics released by the Boston Police Department.

There were 129 nonfatal shootings this year through July 27, compared with 137 during the same period last year.

There have been six additional nonfatal shootings since that report, for a total of 135 this year.