Online Fundraiser Tops $400,000 for Boston Officer Charged With Voluntary Manslaughter in March 11 Shooting
Supporters of Boston police officer Nicholas O’Malley have raised about $414,000 on GoFundMe as of Monday to assist him and his family after he was charged with voluntary manslaughter in the March 11 fatal shooting of alleged carjacking suspect Stephenson King. Prosecutors allege O’Malley caused King’s death without acting in proper self‑defense or defense of another, while he has pleaded not guilty. According to investigators, King allegedly assaulted a woman, dragged her from her running car and drove off; when officers confronted him, they say he raised his hands and partially opened his window but did not fully comply before reversing into a cruiser and trying to flee. The article reports that O’Malley warned, “Bro, I’m gonna f***ing shoot you,” and then fired three shots through the driver’s side window as the vehicle moved forward, fatally striking King, who had a lengthy criminal record. Several Boston city councilors are urging against a rush to judgment, with Councilor John FitzGerald calling O’Malley’s actions a split‑second decision to protect the public and his partner, and Councilor Erin Murphy citing King’s history while pressing for prompt release of body‑camera footage. The size of the fundraiser underscores how police‑use‑of‑force prosecutions can quickly become political flashpoints, with organized financial support for officers emerging even before full evidence—such as bodycam video—is publicly reviewed.
📌 Key Facts
- GoFundMe for Officer Nicholas O’Malley has raised about $414,000 as of Monday
- O’Malley is charged with voluntary manslaughter in the March 11 fatal shooting of 39‑year‑old Stephenson King
- Investigators say King allegedly carjacked a woman by assaulting and dragging her from her vehicle before driving off
- Authorities state O’Malley warned, “Bro, I’m gonna f***ing shoot you,” then fired three shots through the driver’s side window as King’s vehicle moved
- Boston city councilors John FitzGerald and Erin Murphy have publicly cautioned against rushing to judgment and called for body‑camera footage to be released
📊 Relevant Data
Stephenson King, the suspect killed in the shooting, was Black.
Community demands body cam footage after police killing of unarmed Black man in Roxbury — WGBH
In Boston, a Black person is 23.5 times as likely to be killed by police as a White person, based on population; Boston's population is approximately 22% Black and 44% White (2020 Census).
Boston, MA - Police Scorecard — Police Scorecard
Nationally, Black Americans account for about 51% of murder offenders while comprising 13% of the population (2019 FBI data), which may relate to higher police encounter rates; in Massachusetts, Black individuals are overrepresented in incarceration rates compared to their 7% population share.
Stephenson King had a criminal record including 47 prior charges across 17 cases, such as assault on an officer, armed robbery, and illegal gun possession as a convicted felon.
Live Boston News Instagram Post — Instagram (Live Boston News)
Nationally, about 90% of homicides involving Black victims are committed by Black offenders (intra-racial), based on FBI data from the 2010s and 2020s.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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