Shooter kills man ‘execution style’ during his haircut at Boston barber shop

Police arrived just before 1 p.m. at the Exclusive Barbershop and Salon located Erie St. and Washington St. to investigate a report of two gunshot victims. Emergencies workers transported both of the men to the hospital, where one of them died and the other remains in critical but stable condition.

Boston police Deputy Supt. Paul McLaughlin said that this is the second deadly shooting on Washington Street in the last week. The victims had apparently come to the salon for a haircut and McLaughlin does not think this was a random act of violence.

"I heard the shots and I stood up. I saw three kids come out and then I saw the actual gunman, dressed all in black. And he ran right across the street," Javier Nieves, who lives nearby, told WCBV5.

Witnesses in the barber shop described the gunman as walking straight over to the first victim while he was getting a haircut and shooting him. "Execution-style, that's what the barbers are saying," said Nieves.

One of the victim's grandfathers, Reiner Thompson, received the news from his wife. "He got shot in the head; his grandmother said he got shot in the head," Thompson said.

He said he had just been speaking to his grandson about getting a job in the construction industry. Thompson said he wanted to talk to young people in his community. "I'm mad," he added. "You've got to be a leader, not a follower to all the young people. Don't follow all the gangs, bad company. Get you a job, make your mothers and fathers proud."

Police have made no arrests in their investigation so far and are seeking video evidence while telling any witnesses with pertinent information to contact them. "We are canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses," McLaughlin said. As of Aug. 25, Boston had reported 10 deadly shootings in 2024.