18-year-old woman shot dead in Boston Seaport just after high school graduation

BOSTON – An 18-year-old woman was injured Thursday in a shooting in Boston's Seaport, just after she graduated from high school. Boston police are still searching for the shooter.

The victim had just graduated from high school that day.

It happened just before noon, near the corner of Pier 4 Boulevard and Northern Avenue. Police believe the shooting happened in a parking lot. The woman, who was not identified, was rushed to the hospital with what police described as “non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.”

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the young woman graduated from Boston Collaborative High School Thursday morning. He said the shooting “did not happen at a graduation. It happened on another stage, in a location that was not part of the graduation.”

“We believe this is not a random event,” Cox told reporters. “We are still investigating this matter.”

They are looking for a man, but have not yet released a description of him.

“To say this was an unfortunate incident would be an understatement,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden. “It’s a tragedy, it shouldn’t happen.”

Witnesses saw a man running in a graduation cap and gown.

Witnesses told WBZ-TV there was a graduation party in the area and they saw a woman get out of a car holding her stomach. People rushed to help him, then the police arrived. They also reported seeing someone wearing a cap and gown running from the scene.

“High school students attending a graduation on a beautiful day like today should not have to see that day marked by a shooting,” Hayden said.

No further information is available at this stage of the investigation.