The father of a 19-year-old East Boston man stabbed to death Thursday night fears that the killing was in retaliation for his son’s testifying about an incident in 2010 in which he was shot.
Police responded to the intersection of Bennington and Marion streets around 11:56 p.m. Thursday to investigate a reported stabbing, authorities said. The victim was found lying on the ground and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Boston police said.
He has been identified by his father as Elexson Hercules.
No arrests have been made, but Salvador Salinas, who was interviewed in Spanish, said his son had received threats warning him not to testify in the shooting case. He said he believes his son, who took his mother’s last name, was killed because he did recently testify in court about the night he was shot in the leg as he returned from a party.
The stabbing was the city’s 22d homicide this year, police said.
Though the attack occurred less than a half-mile from the scene of another fatal stabbing last month, Thursday’s killing shocked neighbors and local business workers, who described the neighborhood as normally peaceful.
Together, Thursday’s attack and the one in May represent the only slayings in East Boston this year, police said.
John Mastrangelo, 73, said Friday that the neighborhood has felt safe since his childhood.
“There was never trouble around here,” said Mastrangelo, inside his son’s restaurant, the Kelly Square Pub. “We never locked our doors as kids.”
Across the street from the pub, red-and-white memorial candles lined a curb where police found Hercules. The intersection is bordered by Latin American restaurants, a pub, a convenience store, and streets with three-decker homes.
Salinas said his son was an American citizen who doted on his girlfriend and their 1-year-old daughter.
“We love him; we miss him,” said Kristin Clough, 23, a friend of Hercules.
Near the scene of the stabbing, a neighbor said Friday he had rushed outside after hearing a woman screaming. He said the victim was lying on the street.
“There was so much blood I had to walk away,” said the neighbor, who declined to give his name.
Salinas said police saved his son’s life two years ago by quickly responding to the shooting, but then pressured him to testify even though Hercules said he was receiving threats warning him not to take the stand. After the trial, Salinas said, police failed to provide enough protection.
“They should have taken care of him,” said Salinas, a 47-year-old longtime resident from El Salvador. “They should have gotten him out of here.”
A spokeswoman for Boston police, Officer Nicole Grant, declined to comment Friday on the circumstances surrounding Thursday’s stabbing. “It’s still under investigation,” she said.
Police encouraged anyone with information to call the Boston police homicide at 617-343-4470 or CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS., or text the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).
Maria Sacchetti of the Globe Staff and Globe correspondent Colin A. Young contributed to
this report. Adam Sege
can be reached at
adam.sege@globe.com.