Construction workers at a Roxbury site were suddenly interrupted yesterday when they reported being struck by metal pellets. According to Boston 25 News, the incident took place around 8:00 a.m. at the future home of the Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology at 1011 Harrison Avenue. Two workers on the project's third floor brought the issue to their supervisor's attention after feeling the impact of the projectiles.
The site was promptly shut down to properly investigate the source of the pellets, causing a work halt for several hours. Despite the inconvenience, the workers who were allegedly hit opted to refuse any medical treatment. Later in the day, the scene showed little construction activity, and most of the workforce had been sent home. Small pellets, consistent with those used in BB guns, were discovered on the premises and presented to the police, though their origin remains a mystery, prompting further inquiry by the authorities.
WHDH reports that a police report was filed, which indicated that one of the workers showed officers the pellets believed to have come from a BB gun. No medical treatment was needed for the workers affected by the incident, which is still under active investigation by Boston police. Details regarding the incident remain sparse as the city looks to piece together the events that disrupted yet a day's work.
The disruption has slightly overshadowed the project's significance; the Franklin Cummings Institute of Tech has been seen as a symbol of rebirth for both the institute itself and Nubian Square. Roxbury's community anticipates the project's completion in Fall 2025, with the City of Boston having invested $4 million in moving the school from the South End. The contractor handling the construction, Dellbrook One Way, commenced work on this important campus earlier in March. Outreach to the Iron Workers Union and Dellbrook for comments has thus far been unmet with responses.
