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High-profile deaths highlight gap between crime stats, public fear

Mike Deehan

Police vehicles line Boston Common in Boston on June 1, 2020. — Police vehicles arrive at Boston Common in 2020. Photo: Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Two violent incidents in Boston's busiest hubs this week are making the public question declining citywide and national crime rates.

A man was stabbed to death Wednesday evening on an escalator at South Station during rush hour.
Boston police found a body near TD Garden's parking garage the same evening.

Why it matters: Both locations are high-traffic areas near transit and entertainment venues

The incidents were probably witnessed, or at least felt, by far more residents and commuters than the typical one-off violent crime in less dense neighborhoods.

Yes, but: National data shows homicides down 52% in Boston through the first half of 2026, continuing a trend that predates this year.

Between the lines: The incidents echo recent complaints from Downtown Boston residents and business owners who insist there's an increase in https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/police-identify-man-found-beaten-death-near-boston-common/JG4H5SA4D5E23PECR22TO4BYWI/robberies, shoplifting and drug activity following an earlier murder on Boston Common.

What's next: Boston Police and the Suffolk County DA's office are investigating the South Station stabbing.

No additional details have been released in the TD Garden case.

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High-profile deaths highlight gap between crime stats, public fear

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