In a sobering reminder of the city's ongoing battle with gun violence, Kamal Oliver, a 23-year-old from Mattapan, was sentenced to a prison term spanning 16 to 20 years for the manslaughter of 19-year-old Xavier Barkon. Court records show that Oliver entered his guilty plea on February 4, accepting responsibility for the shooting that occurred on the evening of August 11, 2022.
The incident, which unfolded in a parked car on Oak Hill Avenue in Mattapan, was captured partially by video surveillance. According to Universal Hub, Oliver and Barkon were involved in an argument before Oliver approached the Mazda sedan where Barkon was seated and fired the fatal shot into his chest. Oliver then made his escape in a red Hyundai Elantra, which was subsequently found near a family member’s home.
Technical evidence, including car rental records associated with Oliver's phone number and bank card, supported the case brought before the court. Following the aggressive altercation, Barkon was transported to Boston Medical Center but could not be saved. Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden, in a statement shared by The Boston Globe, expressed deep sympathy to Barkon's family and underscored the tragedy as a consequence of "too many guns on our streets and too many people willing to use them."
Oliver's defense was represented by Attorneys Leonard Milligan and Kasey Emmons, while the prosecution's case was managed by Assistant District Attorneys Sarah McEvoy and Michael Murphy.
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