BOSTON — A 22-year-old man is scheduled to appear in court on Friday to answer to charges in connection with the shooting death of a 12-year-old boy in Boston.
Walter Hendrick will be arraigned in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of improper storage of a firearm potentially accessible to someone under the age of 18; unlawful possession of a firearm; and unlawful possession of ammunition, Boston police said in a statement.
It could not immediately be determined if Hendrick had an attorney who could respond to the allegations.
Officers responding to a home in the city's Mattapan neighborhood at about 2 p.m. Thursday found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The boy's name was not made public. Police did not immediately disclose the circumstances of the shooting.
There was no ongoing threat to public safety, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.
Mayor Michelle Wu said first responders attempted to resuscitate the child.
“It’s a horrible tragedy for the entire city whenever anyone of our young people is lost, and for a child of this age being lost to gun violence is a nightmare," she said in a news conference at the scene Thursday. “In the summer when our kids should be enjoying, having fun, playing and growing, this is especially a nightmare for a mom and for a family.”
Police Commissioner Michael Cox called the death unnecessary.
“I implore folks, if you have guns in your home ... turn them in to us,” he said.
