(CBS Boston)
Two teenagers have been apprehended and formally accused of robbing a 9-year-old boy at a Boston playground, as reported by Boston Police and recounted in a police report by PEOPLE.
The incident unfolded at Children’s Park during the evening of Thursday, July 25, when the victim, awaiting a nearby cookout, was approached by two teenage boys. According to police, the teens allegedly wielded a replica firearm and demanded the boy’s shoes, iPhone, and money before fleeing the scene.
“I was terrified,” the victim, whose identity remains undisclosed by authorities, told Boston’s 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 give them because I didn’t want to get shot.” Police responded swiftly, locating and intercepting two individuals matching the suspects’ descriptions shortly after the incident occurred.
Upon apprehending the teens, officers recovered the victim’s iPhone, a “black and red replica firearm,” and two simulated magazines, according to law enforcement sources. The two adolescents have been charged with armed robbery and threat to commit a crime, per Boston Police. Authorities have opted not to disclose the identities of either the victim or the accused minors.
In an interview with WCVB, the victim’s mother, whose identity was also withheld, expressed deep concern and unease following the ordeal. “It’s scary,” she shared. “I mean, it’s very scary. We’re not safe.”
Essex County District Attorney Kevin Hayden provided a statement to CBS News, emphasizing the distressing nature of the incident given the age of the victim and the accused juveniles involved. “Being robbed at gunpoint is a terrifying experience for anyone,” Hayden stated. “But the age of the victim here, and the ages of the charged juveniles, adds an extra layer of shock and heartbreak.”
“I commend this young boy and the adults present for providing the information that led to the arrest,” Hayden added. The case continues to develop as Boston authorities work through the legal proceedings against the two teenage suspects in connection with this alarming playground robbery.
