One man is dead and another man was sent to the hospital after police officers responded to a report of a double shooting in Roxbury early this morning.
Police were also investigating a second shooting nearby about an hour later -- around 2:25 a.m. -- at Orchard Gardens Housing Development in Roxbury, in which about eight shots were fired but no injuries reported. Police made two arrests in that shooting.
Given the proximity of the double shooting and the incident at Orchard Gardens, detectives are investigating whether the two could be connected, said police spokesman Officer James Kenneally tonight.
He also said that, “Detectives are looking into the possibility that the shootings are gang-related and possibly retaliatory.â€
At about 1:37 a.m., police responded to the area around 131 Harold St. and found a man suffering from gunshot wounds, said Officer Neva Coakley, a police spokeswoman. He was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, she said.
Officers also found another man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds a block away at Holworthy Street, Coakley said. He was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Coakley said she had no other information about the two victims, including their age or where they were from. Boston homicide detectives are actively investigating the shooting, she said.
Harold Street was blocked off by police after the shooting, said Harold Street resident Mohamed Adan. The 34-year-old security guard said he was watching TV on the other side of the building at the time of the shooting and did not hear the gunshots.
“I’ve lived here three years and we have never had this kind of problem,†he said. “But it is summer time.â€
About a mile and a half away, near the Orchard Gardens Housing Development, two men were arrested around 2:25 a.m.. and charged with assault with intent to murder after police saw them speed away from the scene of a shooting, with one man carrying a gun. Police had no reports of injuries, however.
Police from the youth violence task force were monitoring the area near the housing development when they observed about 60 people gathered in a courtyard on Eustis Street at 2:25 a.m, Coakley said.
Officers saw a man get out of a green Honda Accord parked on the corner of Eustis and Adams streets and turn a corner to approach the courtyard when they heard about eight gunshots, she said. They saw the man, who was carrying a gun in his hand, run back and enter the passenger seat of the car, which sped away with police in pursuit, she said.
The man threw a gun out the window and, after about a mile, he and the driver attempted to flee on foot, but were caught and arrested, she said.
The gun was later recovered.
Jeremy Harris, 23, of Brockton, who was allegedly carrying the gun, and Terrance Jamaal Johnson, 25, of Hyde Park, who was allegedly driving the car, were charged with assault with intent to murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and other charges, Coakley said.
Both are expected to be arraigned Monday in Roxbury District Court.
Javier Panzar can be reached at javier.panzar@globe.com Follow him on Twitter @jpanzar. Todd Feathers at todd.feathers@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ToddFeathers.
