The teens were detained along with a “black and red replica firearm,” two fake magazines and the victim’s iPhone, Boston police said
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A stock image of a playground
Two teenagers have been arrested and charged for allegedly robbing a 9-year-old boy on a Boston playground.
The victim was at Children’s Park, a public playground, in the evening of Thursday, July 25, waiting for a cookout to begin when he was approached by two teen boys, according to a police report obtained by PEOPLE.
While brandishing and pointing a replica firearm at the victim, the teens allegedly asked him for his shoes, iPhone and money before fleeing the scene, Boston Police said.
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“I was terrified,” the victim, whose identity was not released by police, recalled to Boston news outlet WCVB. “I was thinking like, ‘What if I die right here on the spot, right here?’ “
“All he wanted to do is just shoot me right there if I didn’t give him my password,” the boy added. “I had to get them because I didn’t want to get shot.”
Officers quickly found two individuals who matched the teens’ descriptions and “successfully stopped” them, police said.
After detaining the suspects, officers took custody of the victim’s iPhone, along with a “black and red replica firearm” and two fake magazines, police said.
The two teens were charged with armed robbery and threat to commit a crime, according to Boston Police. Like the victim, their identities have not been publicized.
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Also speaking with WCVB, the victim’s mother, whose identity was not publicized, said she feels unsafe following the incident.
“It’s scary,” she told the outlet. “I mean, it’s very scary. We’re not safe.”
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In a statement provided to CBS News, Essex County District Attorney Kevin Hayden emphasized that the age of the victim makes this incident even more shocking than usual.
“Being robbed at gunpoint is a terrifying experience for anyone,” Hayden said. “But the age of the victim here, and the ages of the charged juveniles, adds an extra layer of shock and heartbreak.”
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“I commend this young boy and the adults present for providing the information that led to the arrest,” he added.
Hayden did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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WCCO digital headlines: Afternoon of Dec. 24, 2024
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WCCO digital headlines: Afternoon of Dec. 24, 2024
01:32
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The Boston Red Sox continued to rebuild their pitching staff, acquiring left-hander Jovani Morán on Tuesday from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for catcher and infielder Mickey Gasper.
The 27-year-old Morán appeared in 79 games as a reliever for the Twins from 2021 to 2023, posting a 4.15 ERA, striking out 112 with 52 walks and holding opponents to a .208 batting average. He missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He originally was chosen in the seventh round of the 2015 draft.
In Gasper, the Twins are getting a 29-year-old who made his major league debut last season and appeared in 13 games with Boston. The switch-hitter was selected by the New York Yankees in the 27th round of the 2018 draft. He was picked by Boston in the minor league portion of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft.
The Red Sox and Twins both currently have 39 players on their 40-man rosters.
Coming into this winter, it was imperative for the Boston Red Sox to make multiple impactful moves following a disappointing finish to the 2024 season. And in light of the Yankees making several key pivots following Juan Soto’s departure, inactivity from Boston through another offseason wasn’t an acceptable option.
Well, slowly but surely the Red Sox are putting together a solid offseason and starting to look like a team that is serious about getting back to the postseason in 2025.
The Red Sox’s biggest changes have been in their rotation, where they’ve had a serious overhaul. Adding starting pitching was the top priority for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and the Red Sox added arguably the best starter on the trade market in Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. But it takes more than one starter to get through the 162-game grind of the regular season.
The Red Sox then added left-hander Patrick Sandoval, who’s recovering from Tommy John surgery, and they solidified their veteran presence on Monday by adding right-hander Walker Buehler on a one-year, $21.05 million deal. Buehler, who was No. 23 on Yahoo Sports’ list of this winter’s top 50 free agents, brings to Boston’s rotation a veteran arm who has pitched on baseball’s biggest stages and experienced plenty of success. His 18 postseason starts are the most on Boston’s roster by far.
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Buehler, 31, had other offers, including a few multi-year deals, sources told Yahoo Sports. But the fit and the opportunity to play for a franchise such as the Red Sox while continuing to rebuild his value after a strong postseason was difficult to pass up, and now the pairing is a win for both sides.
At this point, the Red Sox rotation looks like a combination of Crochet and Buehler followed by 2024 All-Star Tanner Houck, Bryan Bello and Lucas Giolito, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Kutter Crawford and Garrett Whitlock are also options to start. As the Dodgers showed en route to their World Series championship, you can never have too much pitching depth, and such depth will now be a strength for Boston.
With the rotation solidified, the Red Sox’s biggest need the remainder of this winter is a right-handed bat. So as we close 2024, the question now is which bat?
Boston missed out on Soto and several of the top free agents on the position-player market. Yhere are still a few impact players who would fit. Case in point: Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander and Alex Bregman are all still available.
Bregman seems like the player who would make the Red Sox’s offseason feel most complete. The two-time World Series champion is unlikely to return to Houston after the team signed first baseman Christian Walker, and Fenway Park would be an excellent fit for Bregman’s offensive profile. It’s not difficult for fans to imagine Bregman in Boston, where he could tap into his pull-side power again.
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What’s more, Bregman could play second or third base, which would give Boston flexibility to decide if the Red Sox really want to follow through on the plan to play Rafael Devers at first base and trade Triston Casas or if they’d rather keep Devers at third and Casas at first and have Bregman play second for the first time in his career.
The Red Sox’s place in the American League’s pecking order has definitely improved this offseason, particularly with teams such as the Astros and Guardians, two of the top squads in the league the past few years, retooling their rosters and the Baltimore Orioles relatively inactive thus far. If one or two more moves fall into place for the Red Sox, it’s reasonable to expect them to make a significant leap in the standings next season.
While the Celtics’ 18th NBA championship commanded the Boston sports spotlight in 2024, it was far from the only game in town.
Boston Globe photographers were on assignment at sports events just about every day of the year, from high school complexes to Fenway Park, TD Garden, Gillette Stadium, and all kinds of venues in between.
Here’s a look at the year in sports through the lens of the Globe’s sports photographers.
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Montreal’s Jordan Harris and Boston’s Brad Marchand tangled in the first period of a clash between the rival franchises on Jan. 20. The Bruins won, 9-4.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
In the Division 5 high school football Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, Shawsheen Valley Tech’s Brayton Carbone can only see what might have been as he stares down a long pass he was not able to catch. Despite that, Shawsheen defeated Foxborough for the championship.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had his No. 12 retired in June, at a ceremony honoring his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Bishop Feehan girls’ basketball players celebrate with the MIAA championship trophy after they defeated Wachusett in the Division 1 state championship game in Lowell in March.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Boston Latin boys’ hockey player Joplin Murphy absorbed the moment after the Wolfpack defeated Tewksbury in the MIAA Division 2 championship game at TD Garden in March. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers learned firsthand how good the Celtics were in February, when Kristaps Porzingis (right) and Derrick White (left) helped Boston to a 117-99 victory at TD Garden. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
The action in Game 4 of the NBA Finals from Dallas brought fans out of their seats at a watch party at TD Garden. Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Al Horford and the Celtics defeated the Mavericks in five games in the NBA Finals, celebrating on June 17.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Boston College High football players lined up for the pledge of allegiance before their Thanksgiving game at Catholic Memorial. BC High lost, 31-19.Andrew Burke-Stevenson for The Boston Globe
In October, cheerleaders huddled during Lewiston High varsity football game against Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
In June, diver Oleksiy Prygorov competed in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Boston. Athletes leaped from a platform tower attached to the roof of the Institute of Contemporary Art. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Boston College receiver Lewis Bond was upended after a long reception for a first down during the first quarter of a November game against Pittsburgh. BC won, 34-23.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Red Sox pitcher Chris Martin was left on his back after he caught a line drive for the third out in the eighth inning of a May game against the Rays. The Red Sox won, 5-4.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Gage Anastasio posed for a photo that was included in a collection of fan portraits during the NBA Finals in June. Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Sebastian Cantoni and Romina Cornejo shared a kiss after crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon in April.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
A puck flipped over the boards by Bruins captain Brad Marchand toward a group of children was all the rage before a game in October at TD Garden.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw an incomplete pass as he was brought down by Maliek Collins (bottom) and Leonard Floyd (top) during the 49ers’ victory in September.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
In June, Jarren Duran hit a double to give the Red Sox a walk-off victory over the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Figure skater Skylar Lautowa-Peguero performed at the Skating Club of Boston’s “Summer Sizzler” event in August. The event capped a training camp held by US Figure Skating at the facility in Norwood.Andrew Burke-Stevenson for The Boston Globe
The 45th Pan-Mass Challenge in August saw bicyclists leave before sunrise to beat the heat for the 77-mile leg from Bourne to Provincetown. Behind them is the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge.Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff
Jessica Digirolamo and Kaleigh Fratkin celebrated after Boston’s PWHL team scored late in the third period to defeat Montreal in its final regular-season home game, ultimately earning the team — rechristened the Fleet — a playoff berth.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown was called for an offensive foul against Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (left) on this drive in Game 4 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics won, 105-102, and swept the Pacers out of the playoffs.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Fans cheer as Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla’s duck boat drives by during the parade to celebrate Boston’s 18th NBA championship in June.Kayla Bartkowski For The Boston Globe
Jayson Tatum held the Larry O’Brien Trophy for fans to see during the duck boat parade to celebrate the Celtics’ NBA championship in June.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock used a training tool during spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., in February.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Tennis players wore clothes and used rackets from the 1920s at a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first tennis game in America at the Nahant Tennis Club in July.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Joseph Case High School quarterback Lucas Beaulieu throws against West Bridgewater’s defense during an October game.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
In the 140th edition of “The Game,” in November, Yale’s sideline erupted after receiver David Pantelis caught a long pass for a first down in the second half. Yale defeated Harvard, 34-29.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley celebrated after his team defeated Illinois at TD Garden to win the NCAA East Regional in March. UConn went on to win a second straight national championship in April.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
The Savanah Bananas’ national tour included a stop at Fenway Park in June.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Quarterback Drake Maye walks off the field at halftime of the Patriots’ game in October against the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London. Jacksonville won, 32-16. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Forward Jayson Tatum held the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the locker room after the Celtics won the 2024 NBA championship in June.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
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