Two teenagers, both aged 15, reportedly threatened and robbed a 9-year-old boy in Boston's Children's Park yesterday, according to police. The young victim was at the playground off Intervale Street at the time of the incident. The teens are said to have used a fake gun to intimidate him into surrendering his iPhone. "I was terrified," the boy told NewsCenter 5. "I was thinking like, 'What if I die right here on the spot, right here?'"
Following the theft, the scene unfolded with an escalated demand for the boy's phone password which he complied with, fearing for his life. "All he wanted to do is just shoot me right there if I didn't give him my password," he said, according to NewsCenter 5. The suspects, whose identities have not been released due to their age, were apprehended shortly after, as they attempted to flee the playground. An officer in the vicinity was able to detain the teenagers, with one of the suspects found having a "replica firearm in his waistband," as per the police report.
The incident has raised concerns among local parents about the safety of public spaces traditionally considered safe for children. "It's scary. I mean, it's very scary," the robbed boy's mother expressed to NewsCenter 5. "We're not safe." Moreover, it was revealed that another mother in the community reported a similar attempt by the same suspects to rob her 9-year-old son at gunpoint, although he was able to escape.
In response to the fearful community sentiment and the surge of worry over their children's security in ordinarily innocuous places like playgrounds, parents are becoming more vigilant. Both suspects are expected to face charges, including armed robbery and threat to commit a crime, and are set for arraignment at Dorchester District Court. As further details emerge, there has been no comment on potential motives or whether the two suspects were involved in any other related incidents. The recovery of the child’s cell phone and the fake firearm was confirmed by a police report, as noted by Boston.com.
