On the evening of November 16, 2020, a young Black man named Bolivar del Jesus Soto Jr., age 20, was fatally shot in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston. The incident occurred at approximately 10 p.m. in the vicinity of 18 Church Street, where Soto was pronounced dead at the scene from an apparent gunshot wound. A student at Bunker Hill Community College with aspirations of becoming a firefighter, he was known for his love of sneakers and his involvement in various sneaker clubs.
The
tragic events of that night unfolded when Soto and a friend went to meet a potential buyer for a pair of sneakers. According to Soto's older brother, an argument and a physical altercation ensued after the supposed buyer attempted to use counterfeit money. The confrontation escalated, and the suspect, who was armed with a gun, shot Soto. His family described the motive as a robbery over the sneakers he was trying to sell. The last time his mother heard from him, he had promised to be home soon after bringing home some bread.
For months, the case remained unsolved, leaving his family and community seeking justice. His mother made public pleas for anyone with information to come forward to the Boston Police Department. In June 2021, a breakthrough in the investigation led to the arrest of Marquees Scott, a 22-year-old from Mattapan. Scott was taken into custody on outstanding warrants for murder, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with Bolivar Soto's death.
