In the early morning hours of August 20, 2017, a night out in Boston's theater district turned tragic for Michael Alexander Miranda, a 28-year-old Black / African American man and father of two boys. Just after 2:15 a.m., following a large fight that erupted outside the Cure Lounge on Tremont Street, Miranda was shot and killed. His family described him as a loving father and the life of the party, a shining light who was not involved in gangs or troublemaking.
According to his sisters,
Miranda was acting as a protector, defending a friend who was being robbed when the altercation escalated. In the ensuing chaos, a gunman fired multiple rounds into a group of people who were leaving the scene. Miranda was struck in the head by a bullet and was later pronounced dead at 7:17 p.m., surrounded by his family and friends. Another man, a friend of Miranda's, was also wounded in the shooting. His family firmly believes he was a random victim of violence.
The investigation into Miranda's death led Boston Police to 29-year-old Kiewann Watson of Mattapan. Watson was identified through video footage from the area and forensic evidence collected at the scene. He was arrested on Thursday following the Sunday morning shooting. Prosecutors stated that video evidence showed Watson pulling out a firearm and firing five rounds, one of which fatally struck Miranda. Watson was charged with murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
During his arraignment, Watson pleaded not guilty, and his defense attorney maintained his innocence, stating his client was not the shooter. Despite this, he was ordered held without bail. In March 2022, as his trial for first-degree murder was about to begin, Kiewann Watson pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. He also pleaded guilty to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by discharging a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm. In a testament to his character, even in death, Miranda gave the gift of life to others through organ donation, saving eight lives.
