Mom identifies 15-year-old boy killed in Dorchester last night, pleads for info

The 15-year-old boy who was fatally shot Wednesday in Dorchester has been identified as Curtis Ashford Jr.

His name has not been made public by the police, but his mother, desperate for answers, identified him to local news stations.

Starsha Groce told Boston 25 News that her son was just out playing basketball, only minutes from his house, when the incident occurred.

“He told me he was at the court playing ball with his friends, and I told him to make sure [to] be home by 8 before the lights come on,” she said.

At around 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Boston police officers responded to the area of 28 Ellington St. where they located the boy suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

“I just want justice for my son,” Groce told WBZ.

Ashford Jr. had just graduated from McCormack Middle School and turned 15 earlier this month.

The boy’s father, also named Curtis Ashford, was stabbed to death in May 2008, just before Ashford Jr.’s first birthday. His suspected killers were arrested in August of that year, and Groce wants to see the same justice for her son. 

“Anything you have, please reach out to me or the police and please help the person that did this to my son come to justice,” Groce told WBZ. “Justice for my son, please. Please.” 

No arrests have been made. Anyone with information should call the Boston Police Homicide Detectives at 617-343-4470. To help the investigation anonymously, people can call the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).