Shooting Not Gang-Related

Early Saturday morning's fatal "carjack" shooting in Central Square appears not to be gang-related, said Cambridge Police officials yesterday.

Although The Boston Globe reported police saying the incident was possibly gang-related, Deputy Superintendent Michael D. Giacoppo said yesterday that The Globe "tried to feed words into my mouth," and said that there is no evidence that the shooting was part of a turf war.

"We can't say with any accuracy that this is a gang-related incident," Giacoppo said. "I don't see it as a gang war from what we know."

Shawn Carter, 20, a resident of Cambridge, was accused of firing 17 shots into a car that stopped at the intersection of Cambridge and Columbia Streets, an area plagued by gang-related violence.

He allegedly killed a Dorchester man, who was sitting in the back seat, and injured two others in the car.

Giacoppo said that the two injured passengers, Akida Johnson, 19, and Cory Lord, 18, did not receive life threatening wounds and are recuperating. Tyrone Phoenix, 18, was killed in the shooting.

Jill Reilly, spokesperson for the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, said Carter's possible involvement in gangs is only a possible motive.

"There has been a backdrop of gang violence of Boston and Cambridge youths," Reilly said. "This was just a hypothesis about the reason for the shooting."

A junior at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, who requested anonymity, said that he has been Carter's neighbor for 12 years, and doubts Carter was a gang member.

"He hung around with a secluded group of people," said the high school junior. "But I don't think he was ever involved in a gang based on what I know."

"But I heard that he sold drugs," he added.

Though Giacoppo refused to comment on Carter's criminal record, he added, "I do know Carter's background and who he is associated with.Carter and his associates are known to thepolice."

According to The Globe, Carter was convicted ofassault with a dangerous weapon and acquitted witha fire arms charge last year.

Giacoppo said that the investigation still hasnot discovered a possible motive for the shooting.

"We're still working to establish anappropriate motive," he said. "All possibilitiesare still on the table."

Carter pleaded not guilty on Monday to onecount of murder, four counts of assault withintent to murder and three counts of assault andbattery with a dangerous weapon.

Police said Carter approached the car while itstopped at a traffic light. When the fivepassengers refused to open the window, Carterallegedly pulled a semiautomatic pistol from hiswaistband and shot 17 times, police said

According to The Globe, Carter was convicted ofassault with a dangerous weapon and acquitted witha fire arms charge last year.

Giacoppo said that the investigation still hasnot discovered a possible motive for the shooting.

"We're still working to establish anappropriate motive," he said. "All possibilitiesare still on the table."

Carter pleaded not guilty on Monday to onecount of murder, four counts of assault withintent to murder and three counts of assault andbattery with a dangerous weapon.

Police said Carter approached the car while itstopped at a traffic light. When the fivepassengers refused to open the window, Carterallegedly pulled a semiautomatic pistol from hiswaistband and shot 17 times, police said