Man stabbed, woman shot in Dorchester

A man was stabbed to death, and a woman was fatally shot last night in different parts of Dorchester, police said, probably raising the city's homicide total for the year to 30.

The fatal shooting occurred two hours after the stabbing, according to police. The female was not believed to have been the intended target, police said. Both apparent victims were unidentified.

The violence marked another turbulent night on city streets and appeared to keep the city ahead of the pace for homicides over last year, when Boston had 75, its highest toll in a decade. (At this time last year, the city had registered 25 homicides, police said.)

Police had little information about either of last night's slayings, and officials said they had yet to officially rule either death a homicide.

Officers from the department's Youth Violence Strike Force found the stabbed man shortly before 9 p.m., near Lyndhurst and Washington streets, police said.

The stabbing victim was pronounced dead at Boston Medical Center, police said.

At the scene last night, police closed off the part of Washington Street between Melville Avenue and Aspinwall Road with yellow tape, and neighbors gathered at the makeshift border to see what had happened.

``If you hang out here, you're going to hear gunshots just about every night," said Kendra Hoyt, who lives on Melville Avenue. ``The community is suffering, and it's only gotten worse. It's pretty sad."

The Rev. Eugene Rivers, one of those behind efforts to curb violence that wracked Boston 15 years ago, visited the scene on Washington Street last night. He told WLVI-TV the streets feel more dangerous now.

Less than two hours after the stabbing, police were called to Owencroft Road for the shooting.

A police officer at the scene, who declined to be identified, said the victim was a 19-year-old Asian female who had been sitting on her porch when she was shot several times. He said there were conflicting reports as to whether it was a drive-by shooting or the gunmen left their vehicle before firing. He said that investigators do not believe she was the intended victim.

Flavy Isaac, 28, and Sulphise Polynice, 26, are sisters who live near the corner of Owencroft and Gallivan Boulevard. They heard a car come to an abrupt stop, heard several gunshots, then heard the car speed away.

Isaac said there has been violence in their area, but it has never been so close. ``It's right in the backyard," she said. ``My kids are right inside sleeping. Sometimes we sit out on the porch when it's hot like this."

Meanwhile, police identified the man shot and killed early Sunday at the Caribbean Cultural Center in Dorchester as Rashaan Dowman , 24 , of Dorchester.

Globe correspondents Megan McKee and Rich Cherecwich contributed to this report.