BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A young boy suffered serious permanent physical injuries and trauma this week, due to illegal fireworks being set off in Boston.
At a press conference on Friday, Mayor Walsh said he had spoken to the boy's mother, who had asked him to share her son's story to highlight the dangers associated with fireworks.
"It's a fire hazard and a very dangerous safety risk," said Walsh. "And now we have an 11-year-old little boy in the hospital with serious injuries to his hands and to his body -- a situation that was entirely preventable."
On Tuesday night, Boston Police responded to a park on Mercer Street in South Boston, where a firework had gone off in a child's hand.
"He will have permanent physical damage and psychological trauma," Walsh said. "I heard the pain in this woman's voice yesterday and I hope that people can understand the frustration that I have, and the fear that I have over [what] fireworks can do to our young people in our city."
Fireworks calls to the Boston Police Department were up by more than 5,500 percent in June 2020, compared to June 2019. Last month, in response, Mayor Walsh announced the formation of a new Fireworks Task Force for Boston.
"We’ve had enough of this, said Walsh. "It’s time to stop. We don’t need another crisis to deal with."
Anyone found setting off illegal fireworks will usually not be arrested, according to Walsh, unless it is for trafficking them across state lines, but the fireworks will be confiscated by police.
Mayor Walsh said anyone with information about people purchasing, selling, or setting off illegal fireworks can anonymously report it to the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-8477, or by texting the word 'TIP' to 27463.
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