Boston Blotter: 8th Murder of the Year

-- A man was shot to death waiting for his food at a Jamaican restaurant in Dorchester last night. Police have not identified the 24 year-old victim, the eighth Boston homicide and the fourth in three nights. His death punctuates an spree of violence in Dorchester unprecedented in recent memory. [Boston Herald]

-- The Dorchester killing prompted a swift reaction from Boston Police. A massive warrant sweep netted 67 alleged criminals, several firearms and a clutch of illegal drugs. It's part of a multi-agency initiative to curb violent crime in Boston. Police Commissioner Ed Davis announced that "officers are laser focused on their mission to eradicate firearm violence from our community." [BPD News]

-- Criminals are more polite in Cambridge. As if to validate a stereotype about Boston's touchy-feely neighbor across the Charles, a mugger who robbed a 29 year-old man at knifepoint stopped to say "I'm sorry." [Cambridge Chronicle]

-- From the cold case file: Worcester police are testing a blood stain recently found on the clothing of James Randall, who is in jail for murdering two prostitutes. Randall was a suspect in the murder of Gardner resident Holly Jean Cote 24 years ago. [Herald]