Stephenson King Jr.

Mar 11

Written By M T

39 years old · Roxbury, Massachusetts · March 11, 2026

Who he was

Stephenson King Jr. was 39 years old and lived in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was the son of Stephenson King Sr., who served in law enforcement for 27 years — briefly as a Boston Police Department recruit before retiring as a state corrections officer. King Jr. had struggled with mental illness for years, a condition his family said had worsened in the months before his death. On the day he was killed, he called out to his father from upstairs asking him to call an ambulance. His father watched as EMTs took him out of the home on a stretcher. It was the last time the two saw each other. "I wasn't expecting him to be dead the same night," King Sr. said. "My son wasn't perfect, but he was a great son. He did a lot of things that made me happy and made his family happy. He shouldn't be dead." He had three sisters. His father said he is "broken-hearted" and angry — "hurt, disappointed in everything that has happened."

What happened

On the evening of March 11, 2026, Boston Police Officers Nicholas O'Malley and Todd Ho responded to a reported carjacking in Mission Hill. They located Stephenson King Jr. in the suspected stolen vehicle. King refused commands to exit the vehicle and attempted to flee, driving forward and backward and backing into an unoccupied police cruiser. According to court documents, O'Malley drew his firearm and warned King — "Bro, I'm gonna f***ing shoot you" — before King attempted to pull away. O'Malley fired three shots through the driver's side window, striking King three times. King was transported to Boston Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. O'Malley later told officials King "tried to run us over." Prosecutors say body-worn camera footage shows neither officer was in the path of the vehicle when O'Malley opened fire.

Official ruling

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced charges on March 19, 2026: "Officer O'Malley fired through the driver's side of the car, striking Mr. King three times and killing him just as he drove away. The evidence demonstrates that Officer O'Malley fired at a moving vehicle, an action prohibited except in limited circumstances not present here, in violation of Massachusetts law and clear BPD procedures." O'Malley was charged with manslaughter. It is the first time a Boston police officer has been charged with manslaughter for an on-duty shooting in more than 30 years.

Contested record

O'Malley has pleaded not guilty. His defense attorney David Yannetti — who previously represented a defendant in the Karen Read case — stated: "We will not rest until Officer O'Malley is rightfully acquitted," arguing the DA was second-guessing split-second decisions made to protect the public.

The family and their attorney Ben Crump have demanded the release of body camera footage since shortly after the shooting. Boston has no policy mandating the release of body camera footage in police killings. Both the DA's office and O'Malley's defense initially declined to release it. As of the indictment in May, the footage was shown privately to King's family but has not been made public. The DA's office has indicated it is weighing a new policy on footage release amid broader public outcry. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley called for transparency and accountability, stating: "Justice would mean Stephenson's life was not taken in the first place."

The family has also raised the question of whether King's mental health crisis — he had been hospitalized earlier that same day — was adequately considered in how officers responded. His father noted that his son had told him he "could not move" before being taken by ambulance, and was in a state of acute distress by the time police encountered him that night.

Legal process

March 11, 2026 — Stephenson King Jr. shot three times by Officer Nicholas O'Malley in Roxbury. Transported to Boston Medical Center; pronounced dead.

March 19, 2026 — O'Malley arrested and arraigned in Roxbury Municipal Court on manslaughter charges. Pleads not guilty. Released on personal recognizance. Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission suspends O'Malley's law enforcement certification.

April 6, 2026 — Family retains attorney Ben Crump. Press conference held at Grant A.M.E. Church in Roxbury; family demands release of body camera footage and full accountability.

May 20, 2026 — Grand jury indicts O'Malley on one count of voluntary manslaughter in Suffolk Superior Court. Family shown body camera footage privately by DA's office. Footage not released publicly.

May 28, 2026 — DA Hayden meets with city leaders and residents to discuss body camera release policy amid ongoing public pressure. Does not show footage at meeting.

June 4, 2026 — O'Malley arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court scheduled.

As of May 31, 2026 — Body camera footage not publicly released. Arraignment pending. Trial date not yet set.