Crowdfunding and Public Response

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.