On the evening of July 26, 2020, a dispute over stolen property tragically escalated, leading to the death of 20-year-old Yaseen Butt of Revere, Massachusetts. The fatal encounter began earlier that day when Felix Martinez, 19, allegedly stole two backpacks from Butt and another individual in the vicinity of Garfield Avenue, with one of Martinez's companions reportedly brandishing what appeared to be a firearm.
One of the backpacks was valued at approximately $800.
Following the robbery, Butt and some friends sought to find Martinez and reclaim their belongings. They located him with a group of people on Revere Beach Boulevard in possession of one of the stolen backpacks. A confrontation ensued between the two groups. During the altercation, Martinez allegedly tried to get a firearm from someone in his group, prompting Butt to retreat.
Martinez and several other males then chased Butt to a grassy area near 82 Revere Beach Boulevard, in front of the Twist and Shake ice cream shop. After Butt fell to the ground, the group began to kick and beat him. In the midst of this assault, Martinez allegedly shot Butt. First responders arrived on the scene around 10:10 p.m. to find Butt suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators utilized security camera footage which captured Martinez and others fleeing into a nearby MBTA station. In a desperate attempt to escape, Martinez was seen jumping onto the live tracks, narrowly avoiding an oncoming train. Four days after the shooting, authorities arrested Martinez, an East Boston resident. He was arraigned in Chelsea District Court on charges of murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and two counts of armed robbery, and was ordered held without bail. In the following months, two more suspects, both 17-year-old males from East Boston, were also taken into custody in connection with Butt's death. One of the teens was apprehended after an erratic driving incident and a subsequent foot chase, while the other was arrested at a residence in Revere. They face charges including murder and armed robbery.
