Teen charged in 'cold-blooded assassination of a middle-school student'

By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff

The 18-year-old accused of gunning down a middle school student at a bus stop earlier this month allegedly shot him twice and then continued on his way to high school, police and prosecutors said today at a press conference announcing his arrest.

"This was a cold-blooded assassination of a middle school student," said Assistant District Attorney Joshua Wall at the press conference at Boston police headquarters.

Xzeniyeju Chukwuezi is accused of walking up to Soheil Turner, 15, as he waited for a bus on Dudley Street at 7:20 a.m. on May 7 and firing two bullets into his head.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis Jr. described Chukwuezi today as a gang member who belonged to the Dudley Street Posse. Turner was not in a gang, Davis said, but was killed because of a gang conflict "on one side."

More details about the motive will be revealed at Chukwuezi's arraignment on Wednesday in Roxbury District Court. He was arrested this morning at William McKinley Preparatory High School in the Fenway.