BOSTON — Roxbury turned into a shooting gallery Monday night when a burst of gunfire lit up Balfour Street and nearby blocks, leaving cars, property, and even a basketball hoop riddled with bullets — all while the armed thugs responsible vanished into the night.

Just after 10:30 PM, Boston police raced to the area after a ShotSpotter activation flagged multiple rounds near 11 Balfour Street. Officers quickly discovered the wreckage: shell casings scattered across the side parking lot, and a black .223 caliber rifle stuffed inside a duffle bag dumped on the steps of 9 Balfour Street. A white t-shirt was tossed aside too, suggesting a panicked getaway.

The gunfire left its mark across the neighborhood. A vehicle parked on Howard Avenue was struck, another at 28 Cunningham Street was hit, and even a basketball hoop took fire from stray rounds.

No suspects are in custody. Detectives from District B-2 are now piecing together the night’s violence and urging anyone with information to call B-2 Detectives at (617) 343-4275.

Meanwhile, the episode underscores Boston’s growing gun paradox: legal gun owners face ever-tightening restrictions, yet gangbangers armed to the teeth spray bullets across city streets with impunity. Law-abiding residents who jump through bureaucratic hoops just to keep a firearm at home watch helplessly as criminals flaunt weapons, dump rifles in duffle bags, and vanish before cops arrive.

For many, the question lingers: if the city can’t control the gang shootouts, why is it cracking down hardest on the people who follow the law?