Two suspects have been arrested after at least eight people were injured in a shooting that took place during the annual Caribbean Carnival in Boston on Saturday morning.
The shooting was not related to the Caribbean parade, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said during a news briefing Saturday afternoon.
“This morning’s shooting is not related to the parade that occurred, since it happened on the outskirts of it,” Cox said. “Very early in the investigation but it seems to potentially be maybe two groups having some type of altercation.”
The incident happened during the J'ouvert Parade, which kicks off the annual Caribbean Carnival in Boston at 6:30 a.m. The second and main parade, the Caribbean Carnival, is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Officers with the Boston Police Department responded to the area of Blue Hill Avenue and Talbot Avenue for a report of multiple people shot at around 7:43 a.m.
Seven victims were found shot and taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
An eighth victim may have suffered a graze wound, according to Cox, who added that there could be more victims.
Police stopped the parade in order to gather evidence, but the rest of the day's festivities will go on as planned, Cox said.
Multiple firearms were recovered from the scene, and two suspects were arrested.
It's not clear if police are looking for more suspects.
Mayor Michelle Wu spoke about the importance of cultural events like Carnival and urged people not to blame the violence on the Caribbean community.
“It’s always just heart-wrenching to hear that a treasured community event has been disrupted by acts of violence from those who had nothing to do with the event,” Wu said at the news briefing. “And there’s no, absolutely no excuse, for something that is open to the community and part of Boston’s culture and heritage to be talked about in this way because of the acts that were introduced.”
Police are encouraging anyone with information on the incident to come forward.
