Boston Police Search for Suspects After 5 Shot Near Festival: ‘Heinous Act’

Authorities in Boston are on the search for suspects after a shooting near a festival left five people injured on Sunday night, according to police who called the shooting a “heinous act.”

The incident occurred in Franklin Park as the city’s Dominican festival was drawing to a close, and police have been intensifying efforts to track down those responsible.

According to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, three men and two women were wounded in the shooting. The victims were quickly transported to a nearby hospital, but authorities have not disclosed their ages or identities. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Newsweek reached out to Boston police via email on Monday for comment.

“We need to hold these people responsible whether it’s an individual or individuals responsible for this heinous act, you know shooting into a crowd,” Cox told reporters on Sunday night.

According to the Associated Press (AP), Cox said police responded to gunshots as the festival was winding down shortly before 9 p.m. local time as authorities were directing pedestrians out of the park.

While it is unclear what events lead to the shooting or who is responsible, police say they are reviewing footage from the area and dedicating resources to the investigation.

“We spared no expense, nor any law enforcement resources on this,” Cox said in a press conference on Sunday night. “You can’t come to our city and do these kinds of things and not expect to be held responsible.”

He added, “We’re going to hold them accountable that’s why we need the public’s help and support on this one but this doesn’t really shouldn’t be happening in our city, not in this day and age.”

As of press time, police had yet to provide further updates on the investigation, including whether more than one shooter was involved, the AP reported.

The shooting comes amid a year in which Boston has been commended for its reduction in violent crime. The AP reported that the city recorded 37 homicides last year. So far this year, that number stands at just 10, according to police reports.

However, seven people were injured during a shooting at a gathering in Methuen, Massachusetts, in June. That incident was one of at least fourteen mass shootings over the third weekend of June that left 10 people dead and at least 73 injured across various U.S. cities, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks gun violence incidents nationwide, and a Newsweek analysis.

While there is no universally accepted definition of a “mass shooting,” the Gun Violence Archive defines it as an incident where at least four victims are shot, either injured or killed, excluding the shooter.

Sunday’s shooting is part of the more than 200 mass shootings that take place in the U.S. every year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.