An investigation continued Monday after two teenagers were killed in a shooting in Braintree early Sunday morning.
Authorities said a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old were shot and killed while sitting in a car. The car was left riddled with bullet holes and on Monday, community members spoke out as police continued their search for a shooter.
“It’s just a very sad thing that two young lives have been lost,” said neighbor Maria Santoro.
People who live near Alfred Road, where the shooting happened, said they heard gunshots around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.
“They were so close together that it was almost like one huge, long bullet,” Santoro said. “It wasn’t ‘Boom, boom.’ It was just one constant blast.”
Braintree police said they found the two teenagers shot in the car. A third teenager inside wasn’t injured.
The two teens who were shot were rushed to South Shore Hospital where they died.
“This is a very, very bad tragedy we’ve had here in Braintree and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family,” said Braintree Mayor Charles Kokoros.
Officials have since identified the 19-year-old as a resident of Dorchester. The 16-year-old, officials said, was a student at Braintree High School.
Speaking on Monday, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said “there’s probably more than one individual involved in the shooting.” He continued, saying investigators found multiple shell casings at the scene.
Authorities said the neighborhood where this shooting happened is a generally safe area, adding that they don’t believe there is any threat to the public at this time.
While the investigation continues, officials said their focus is on getting closure for the families of the two young victims and the community shaken by the violence.
“We’re going to do everything we can with our detective division, along with the state police, to commit to doing everything we can to find a resolution to this and bring the people responsible to justice,” said Braintree Deputy Police Chief Tim Cohoon.
Community leaders came together on Monday and made grief counselors available for anyone in the high school community in need.
The DA’s office said no arrests had been made in the case as of Monday afternoon.
Police have stepped up patrols in the neighborhood where the shooting took place, in the meantime.
