Teenager shot to death


JOHN RUCH

JACKSON SQ.—A teenager was shot to death Sept. 15 in the Bromley-Heath housing development, where he lived. Police officers patrolling nearby reportedly heard the multiple gunshots that killed Thomas Webb, 17, outside 923 Parker St.

After a car and foot chase, police arrested a 19-year-old Dorchester man “in connection” with the homicide, charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm. The suspect, Elbert Newson, was arrested while allegedly running on Notre Dame Street near the New Academy Estates housing development.

“The community is in mourning,” said Eva Clark, executive director of the Judge Richard L. Banks Community Justice Program, a Bromley-Heath organization whose work includes outreach to at-risk youths. [See related article.]

“It’s horrible,” said state Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez, adding that “the community’s involved and engaged on this.”

He noted that, during a violent summer, police have increased patrols in the area, while community groups in Hyde and Jackson squares—including Bromley-Heath’s tenant leadership—are “stronger than ever.”

“Obviously, there’s people [involved in street violence] over there who don’t want to talk,” Sánchez said. “It’s not lack of effort by the community as well as the police. There’s just people who don’t want to talk. That doesn’t mean we will stop talking with them.”

Mildred Hailey, executive director of the Bromley-Heath Tenant Management Corporation, did not return a Gazette phone call for this article.

Webb’s killing is the seventh reported homicide in the JP area this year, and the third involving a victim under 21 years old. There were five homicides reported in JP last year, and two in 2006.

Non-fatal street shootings have also plagued the neighborhood this year, especially in Jackson and Egleston squares. At least 11 people have been wounded since April, including a 4-year-old. One of those shootings happened in Bromley-Heath in July, when a gunman opened fire on a group of people standing outside on Plant Court.

Newson was arrested after allegedly running from a motor vehicle being sought in connection with the killing. He is also charged with possession of marijuana. The car was stopped in the area of 40 Dimock St. It is unclear whether Newson has any connection to the Academy Homes and New Academy Estates housing developments on that side of Jackson Square.

Sometimes violent turf conflicts between Bromley-Heath and Academy youths have been an issue for at least 15 years. Last year, a 13-year-old Mission Hill boy was shot to death while walking through Bromley-Heath. Two New Academy teenagers are charged with killing him in what prosecutors called a case of mistaken identity related to the turf war.

Anyone with information about Webb’s killing can contact the Boston Police Homicide Unit at 343-4470 or anonymously by calling 1-800-494-8477 or text-messaging the word “TIP” to 27463.

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