Boston police Commissioner Michael Cox said his officers were well positioned prior to a shooting that injured eight people at a Caribbean carnival celebration in the city’s Dorchester neighborhood on Saturday, but that was insufficient to stop the violence. A ninth person was also shot, at least one person was stabbed and more than a dozen people were arrested following large brawls in a series of separate weekend incidents. Six men and two women were shot early Saturday morning on Talbot Street, which is along the parade route for the annual J’ouvert parade that is part of Boston’s Caribbean Carnival Festival. Officials previously said that four people were arrested and several firearms were confiscated in connection with that incident. “We can’t be in all places at all times, but the fact is we were in the right place, actually, at the right time,” Cox told reporters on Monday. “I can’t get in the minds of people who perpetrate, you know, crimes in general. The fact is that we had a visible presence. We were actually there and they still did it.” A police report from the incident shows that officers were monitoring Talbot Avenue near the Boys and Girls Club from an elevated position and particularly watching two groups identified as members of rival gangs. The report indicates that officers believed individuals in the group were armed and requested help from plainclothes officers in approaching the groups, but gunfire erupted as they were still approaching. Cox said the department is continuing to investigate and is asking for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward. “We’re still asking for the public’s support and efforts, particularly on the early morning incident on Saturday morning as we prosecute these crimes. It’s always good to have as many witnesses and evidence as possible to help us with that,” he said. Officers assigned to the festival also made an arrest and recovered a gun that evening along Blue Hill Avenue. Police said the suspect attempted to reach for the firearm as they approached and “a violent struggle ensued” before the arrest was made.A ninth person was shot in the city that evening, also along Blue Hill Avenue. Also Saturday, police responded to a report of gunshots fired in the area of Old Road and Ellington Street in Dorchester. They arrested one person in connection with that incident.”And it’s happening more and more in this country in general, particularly around guns,” Cox said. “Right now, the proliferation of guns in this country is just out of control.” Weekend violence also included several fights and at least one stabbing. One man was stabbed with a screwdriver on Saturday evening. Police said they later arrested a man on Blue Hill Avenue who matched the description of the suspect and was carrying a screwdriver. On Sunday, police responded to two fights involving large groups of teenagers. Five were arrested in connection with a fight downtown near Washington and Avery streets, while eight were arrested for a fight near South Bay Mall. “A lot of these events happen where there’s a large crowd in large groups of young people coming in the city unsupervised in any way, shape or form,” Cox said. “I can’t think of anything good that happens when you have that many young people that age with no supervision or guidance whatsoever coming into the city.”Six people, including four juveniles, were arrested over the weekend in the North End where St. Anthony’s Feast was being celebrated, Cox said. “Ultimately we have to come in and supervise with arrest. That’s not our role and job. But the reality is that’s what we’re doing right now,” Cox said. Three others were arrested on firearm-related charges at approximately 3 a.m. on Monday in the South End.”We are, you know, arresting a lot of people with guns, you know, and it doesn’t seem to be putting a dent in it,” Cox said. “And so we’re going to continue to partner with both the ATF and our federal agencies to actually enforce and actually maybe prosecute people in a little different way around this and actually see where the guns are coming to make sure that we can maybe slow down the tide of guns coming in.”

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