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Boston Deals With A Spike In Homicides

Boston's new mayor and police commissioner are dealing with a spike in violent crime that has resulted in nine homicides in the city already this year, according to the police department's initial tally.

Three people were killed last weekend, including a man and a woman found shot outside a Mattapan home. No names were made public.

Boston had a 13-year-low of 40 homicides in 2013.

Authorities say most of the recent slayings appear to be gang-related and retaliatory in nature.

Mayor Martin Walsh, who took office about three weeks ago, said he is gathering together police and civic leaders to address the crime wave and figure out ways to get guns off the street.

"We will work with all levels of government, law enforcement, and the community to reduce the trauma in our neighborhoods, get guns off the street, and address the underlying causes of violence," he said in a statement.

Walsh said in the statement that the city cannot become complacent.

"This kind of violence cannot become commonplace; we should be shocked every time we hear of another shooting, of another death in our community," he said.

Crime experts and community leaders say frigid temperatures usually stem violence.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

This article was originally published on January 28, 2014.

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