BOSTON, June 9 (UPI) -- Boston police said they held a summit with the city's toughest gangs in an effort to reduce violence and bloodshed as summer approaches, officials said.
The meeting at the city's West Roxbury District Court with 50 reputed gang leaders included warnings from state and federal prosecutors that any gang members who commit violent acts will face lengthy prison sentences, The Boston Globe reported.
Boston Police Superintendent Daniel Linskey, who said he spoke during the 90-minute meeting, told reporters the goal of the summit was to let the city's gang leaders know that officials will not pull any punches in dealing with violence this summer.
"We wanted to make sure the message ... was getting across the city that if you are involved in guns and violence, we'll pull all the levers available to us," Linskey said.
