Man, 20, killed as revelers enter city
Shooting near South Station
A 20 -year-old man was fatally shot yesterday just blocks from busy South Station as revelers for Boston's First Night celebration poured into the city.
The victim, who authorities described only as a black male, was shot multiple times from a car near the corner of South and Beach streets, said police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll . The victim was pronounced dead after the 4:22 p.m . shooting at Boston Medical Center.
Just blocks away, at Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street, a silver Mercedes-Benz with New Hampshire license plates was surrounded by yellow police tape. Police said last night they had taken hold of a "vehicle of interest" but had no suspect in custody.
The victim was the city's 74th homicide of 2006, one shy of last year's total, which made 2005 one of Boston's bloodiest year s in a decade.
As police officers blocked off adjacent streets and searched the area with dogs, neighbors said they were startled but not stunned by the violence.
"We tried to escape the South End and the shootings there. I guess it didn't work," said Erin , a resident of the area since March who did not want to give her last name because a suspect had not been caught. "We lived in the South End, so we don't get too excited when we hear gunshots. That was a big part of moving out of there."
Erin's husband, Bob , was watching the Patriots game when he heard the gunshots; and they came outside. "I thought it was firecrackers, but then there weren't any lights," he said.
In September , a 24-year-old man was shot near Kneeland and South streets. Witnesses said he fell out of a vehicle during the attack and was run over. He sustained injuries to his face and back that were not life threatening.
Just after yesterday's shooting, Bosmat Levy was walking from South Station on her way to First Night activities. "I saw someone on the ground, then all the police came," said Levy, an Israeli visiting Boston on her way to Canada.
Police were searching for the gun used in the shooting and the suspect last night. Anyone with information can call the CrimeStoppers Hotline at 800-494-TIPS. 