BOSTON — Two Boston city councilors are calling on police to release body camera footage from the fatal officer-involved shooting of a carjacking suspect last week — while offering condolences to his family and describing him as a "young man" whose death is "a cause for serious concern."
The suspect, Stephenson King, 39, of Dorchester, was shot and killed by police last Wednesday night after he allegedly carjacked a vehicle in Roxbury and tried to ram it into officers. What the councilors' statement didn't mention: King was arrested less than two years ago for sleeping in a Roxbury stairwell with a loaded ghost gun tucked under his sweatshirt.
"First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the man who lost his life," councilors Miniard Culpepper of District 7 and Brian Worrell of District 4 wrote in a joint statement Monday, first reported by the Boston Herald.
Boston City Councilor Miniard Culpepper, District 7.
Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell, District 4.
"We are deeply saddened by this incident," they continued. "Anytime we see a young man die in our community, it is a cause for serious concern."
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King was 39.
According to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, officers responded to the carjacking and boxed King in. He didn't comply. Cox said they gave "many, many commands." King allegedly ignored them, accelerated the stolen vehicle, backed it into a cruiser, and drove toward the officers. One of them opened fire.
The scene at Highland Ave and Centre Street in Roxbury after the fatal officer-involved shooting on March 12, 2026.
It is not clear how many shots were fired or how many officers discharged their weapons. The officers involved have been placed on administrative duty, and the Suffolk County DA's office is investigating.
The councilors called for the release of body camera footage — which Cox has confirmed exists — "to fully understand what happened and ensure that appropriate measures are being taken." They framed it as a matter of "transparency and accountability."
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Their statement made no reference to King's criminal history.
On January 25, 2024, officers from District B-2 in Roxbury responded to a call about a man with a gun at 570 Dudley Street. They found King asleep on the stairs with the handle of a firearm visible under his sweatshirt. The officers quietly retrieved it without waking him, then woke him up to make the arrest. The weapon was a 9mm Polymer 80 — a ghost gun with no serial number — loaded with three rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.
He was charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a large capacity feeding device, and possession of ammunition.
Twenty-three months later, according to police, he carjacked a vehicle and used it as a weapon against the officers trying to stop him.
"We also want to make sure that Boston Police officers are able to do their jobs safely," Culpepper and Worrell wrote, "while maintaining the trust and safety of the community they serve."
The body camera footage has not been released.
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