MBTA Transit Police report a sneaker sale arranged over Facebook ended badly for a 14-year-old on Wednesday when he found himself surrounded by five other teens, three of whom had guns.
However, police report arresting three of the five yesterday.
Police say the victim arranged over Facebook to meet somebody around 2:30 p.m. at the Ruggles stop on the Orange Line to sell a pair of Air Jordan 5 sneakers, which retail for more than $200 a pair. But:
While at the station, the victim was approached by five unknown males, three of whom pulled up their shirts, displayed a firearm on each of their waistbands and stated, "Don't do anything stupid and empty your pockets." One of the suspects then took the victim's backpack, which contained the Air Jordan sneakers. Another one of the suspects reached into the victim's pocket and took his Blackberry cell phone, wallet and Charlie Card. All five suspects then fled toward Ruggles Street via the platform exit.
Police report arresting a 15-year-old from West Roxbury and two 16-year-olds from Dorchester at the Forest Hills T stop yesterday. Their names were not released because of their age.
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Comments
How did these criminals get
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 1:35pm
How did these criminals get their guns? Having a concealed carry permit in Boston is almost IMPOSSIBLE!
Not to mention these guys showing their guns is by definition in Massachusetts the "use of deadly force"
How come these guys get away with it but the law-abiding citizen is prohibited?
Yes. Just yes. Nobody who
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 1:46pm
Yes. Just yes. Nobody who obeys the law in this city can get a gun but somehow all the criminals have them.
um, well, obviously they
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 1:50pm
um, well, obviously they didnt get away with it since they got arrested. i think people who rob and steal arent going to be too concerned about the proper way to obtain a concealed weapons permit. you seem surprised that there are people who break the law.
um, well, obviously they did
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:16pm
um, well, obviously they did get away with it since only two of them got arrested.
if people who rob and steal aren't going to be too concerned about the proper way to obtain a concealed weapons permit, then how are law abiding citizens (who don't have the same ability, as law abiding citizens) supposed to protect themselves?
i'm not surprised that there are people who break the law. i'm surprised that the anti-gun people overlook the fact that no matter how many gun laws you put into place, criminals are still going to have guns.
Soo... the world would have
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 9:32pm
Soo... the world would have been a better place if the kid woulda had his own gun and gone all John Woo in a crowded subway station to protect his $200 shoes?
Yeah, I buy that. Where can I sign up for membership, Mr./Ms. NRA Shill?
Just a guess
By spenser
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:00pm
Some criminal in Texas bought them at a gun show with no background check and sold them across state lines?
Maybe if the state passed a bill allowing all Orange Line riders to carry concealed weapons the guy could have defended himself.
They should pass a law
By chicken
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:05pm
They should pass a law requiring all trains to be equipped with a turret and a gunner. Urban assault T!
OR
By cycler
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:34pm
Or, it could turn into a free fire zone as armed citizens/ vigilantes and gang bangers start shooting at each other wildly in a crowd of innocent T riders... Sounds great, where do I sign up?
See something, spray
By chicken
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:53pm
See something, spray something.
If only they allowed 14yr olds to carry guns ...
By pilgrimm
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:38pm
He might have been packing three spring loaded guns - two that spring from the cuffs and another that springs from his crotch. That way he could shot all three with guns and the other two would run scared while he mutters some hilarious pun. That would fucking rule!
So a 14 year old has a $200
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:11pm
So a 14 year old has a $200 pair of shoes and a Blackberry?
Nothing's wrong with this economy! We need more kids like that.
were the guns recovered?
By anon
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:16pm
were the guns recovered?
Back up a sec
By Kaz
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 2:26pm
Why did a 14 year old have a pair of $200 sneakers to try and sell on Facebook again?
Why?
By MovingForwardor...
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 3:02pm
It seems to be a stupid question at this point. But here goes: why are five teenagers who grew up in a city in a first world country marauding as nihilistic savages?
These five kids, barring a miracle of psychological and spiritual dimension, will swell the ranks of jails, prisons and most likely will, between the five of them, have very short average life spans.
You forgot to add that in all
By Haviland
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 5:29pm
You forgot to add that in all likelihood that those five teenagers will father children with multiple women before the end of their short lives.
Correct, Darwin in action
By deselby
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 7:16pm
Committing an armed robbery by firearm for sneakers does not speak well of their ability to evaluate risk vs. return. Not to mention their morals.
Try the 16-year-olds as adults and imprison them for a long time, it will impede their criminal activity and degradation of the gene pool.
Shoes
By TH
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 2:32am
The shoe was actually 500 dollars and it's called Fire Red 5's, 2006 release. They're very rare.
Ohhhhh....
By cage
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 6:14pm
That explains it. Good old conservative supply and demand. Emphasis on demand. Would gentrification help cut down on crime?
T-TV
By anon
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 8:19am
I HAVE A IDEA FOR THE T TO MAKE SOME CASH. CREATE A REALITY TV SHOW ON CABLE TV. EVERY DAY WE GET DAILY REPORTS OF MUGGERS,SEX FIENDS,STABBINGS, PEOPLE JUMPING IN FRONT OF TRAINS ALL CAUGHT ON VIDEO MUCH MORE ENTERTAINING THAN MY DAILY DOSE OF CHARLIE SHEEN
the fabulous possibilities of OUR gun
By anon
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 8:46am
Guns in these kinds of incidents aren't always recovered cause they are sometimes "community guns". Kids'll leave them under a porch, in an abandoned lot, behind a dumpster or in some other community accessible hiding place so other "friends" have access to them and so there's less chance of getting nailed for carrying an illegal firearm when getting stopped for being black.
Maybe "law-abiding" citizens need to get more creative if gun ownership is so important to them. Instead of MY gun, think of the possibilities of OUR gun!
Also, MovingForwardorBackward, how do you know these kids "grew up in a city in a first world country"? They could be Sudanese or Somali refugees "marauding as nihilistic savages". Fleeing violence in those countries would make them pretty familiar with how wonderful gun ownership and all the fun that comes with it can be.
Maybe Sudanese or Somalian, true,
By cage
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 6:27pm
But before we get directed to what seems to be less likely explanations, how about some statistics on foreign born versus domestic hoods committing crimes in beantown, please. (What ever happened to more likely 'the devil made me do it'?)