Man shot in Dorchester over parking dispute

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A dispute over a parking spot on a snowy Dorchester street on Monday afternoon escalated into one man being shot and police searching for the alleged gunman, a 27-year-old male who is known to authorities.

The Boston police SWAT team was called to 9 Nightingale St., where the gunman was thought to have fled. But the suspect was not found in the multifamily home, Police Commissioner William B. Evans said.

"Obviously, the individual who did the shooting wasn't happy that [the victim] was in his spot," Evans said at the scene. "There's way too many guns, and when people are shooting over a parking spot, we've got a problem."

The victim, a 34-year-old male who was not identified, was shot in the abdomen at around 2:35 p.m. in front of 69 Nightingale St. He was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

"Fortunately, he's going to be fine," Evans said.

The suspect sped down the block in a black BMW before abandoning it near 9 Nightingale St. Police were seeking a search warrant for the BMW.

"The good thing is, we know who the suspect is and hopefully we can track him down real quick," Evans said.

It was unclear whether the victim and suspect knew each other.

"All I know is it's fortunate that someone didn't die over a parking dispute," Evans said.

Antonia Rodriguez, 50, of Charlestown was visiting family when she heard a gunshot. She said she did not see the shooter, only the victim lying in the street.

"The ambulance came really fast and took him," she said. "And the police came and the helicopters."

Later, on Nightingale Street, where a smattering of chairs were put out as space savers, residents were shocked that gunfire had erupted over a parking space after the weekend snow storm.

"That's so stupid," said Kevin Gayle, 37, after parking a car Monday night.

"Oh my God," said Francia Cabrera, 50, a resident for 26 years. Normally, "everything's OK."

"We all take care of each other," said Sidney Chambers, 72, a resident for 51 years.

"It makes you nervous," she said, "because you live here. You've been on the street, and it's like you're being invaded. It's scary."

A police officer walked down Nightingale Street in Dorchester, where a man was shot.Jessica Rinaldi