On a summer evening in Boston, what some residents of Mount Pleasant Avenue in Roxbury mistook for fireworks was tragically the sound of gunfire that ended the life of 15-year-old Xavier Rodriguez. The shooting, which occurred around 10 p.m. on July 2, 2020, also left two other individuals injured. Xavier, a male who was also known as "Rico," was remembered by his family as a good kid who was into sports and always happy.
His aunt expressed the family's shock and disbelief, stating that they had tried to keep him out of trouble.
The death of the teen was part of a wave of violence that shook the city, marking the third homicide in Boston within a 24-hour period. This spike in violence prompted city officials, including the mayor, to express their frustration and call for an end to the bloodshed just before the Fourth of July holiday.
In the wake of the shooting, neighbors voiced their fears, with one resident recounting how close she and her family were to the gunfire. The Boston Police Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. As of now, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made in connection with the death of Xavier Rodriguez, and no suspects have been officially named or described. The case remains under investigation.
