High school student from Stoughton identified as victim killed in Mattapan shooting

Stoughton Public Schools have announced that two of its students were the victims of a double shooting in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood on Friday.

One of the students, a rising senior, was killed in the shooting. The other student, a female, was wounded.

“We are deeply saddened to inform you that a Stoughton High student was killed on Friday,” according to the statement from the school department. “Christian Cousins, SHS class of 2025, was fatally shot on July 5th while in Mattapan with another SHS student.”

Stoughton schools superintendent Dr. Joseph Baeta told Boston 25 he spoke with Christian’s father on Saturday morning.

“To be quite honest, I spoke with him more like a dad than a superintendent,” said Baeta. “I have a student who just graduated and his son was a rising senior. I can’t imagine the loss he is going through.”

Christian was set to graduate next year a from school that’s become too familiar with tragedy.

“We recently lost four students in a car accident a few years back ,” said Baeta. “Losing five students in different situations is a horrible thing for a community to have to deal with.”

“The second student was also shot but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.” according to the statement. “For the time being, the second student’s identity is not being released.”

“It is never easy to deal with the loss of a student, especially under these circumstances,” said the school department. “Our thoughts are with Christian’s family, friends, and teachers, as well as the whole Stoughton High community. We are also keeping the other SHS student and their family and friends in our thoughts.”

The shooting in Mattapan on Friday was the latest in a deadly string of four shootings in Boston on Friday.

Cousins was among two killed in the violence. Five other people, including the wounded SHS student, were wounded.

The other Boston shootings were reported in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain.

Boston violence: Two people dead, five others injured after several Friday shootings

No arrests have been announced in any of the shootings.

Boston Police Superintendent Felipe Colon confirmed during a Friday afternoon news conference that the Mattapan shooting was “not a random act.”

The superintendent also acknowledged that it had been an “active 24 hours” in the city and police were already targeting specific areas to combat any potential violence over the July 4th holiday weekend.

“My heart is with those who are recovering and those who are grieving today,” said Mayor Wu on Friday. “We have seen some tremendous progress and trending in the right direction in terms of violence across the city this year and this week and this weekend is always one that we are on high alert on because there are so many people out and about and unfortunately, we still have a lot more work to do.”

Stoughton school leaders will meet Monday morning to begin the too-familiar task of making crisis counselors available to students affected by the tragedy.

“A loss is a loss. This is a young man with a future and he’s no longer with us and friends and family are taken back,” said Beata.

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