Two armed suspects robbed children at gunpoint at their neighborhood lemonade stand in South Boston, fleeing with the young siblings’ cash box while one suspect displayed a weapon in his waistband.

Children Threatened At Gunpoint During Robbery

David Byrne, 12, and his 11-year-old sister were operating their lemonade stand Wednesday afternoon when two masked individuals approached them. One suspect grabbed their cash box while showing the children a gun tucked in his waistband. The boy’s sister immediately raised her hands in surrender. “My sister, she put her hands up, and I said, ‘You can have it,'” David told local reporters. “But after that, I was a little annoyed because we were 12 and 11, and you shouldn’t really do that.”

The Boston Police Department released surveillance footage showing the masked suspects running from the scene carrying a pink box, believed to be the stolen cash container. Additional video captured the individuals walking through the neighborhood around the time of the incident. The suspects remain unidentified and at large. Sergeant Detective John Boyle confirmed the investigation remains active, with no arrests made as of Friday morning.

Parents Receive Devastating Call At Work

Jennifer Byrne learned about the armed robbery while at her workplace when her children called in distress. “They called me, I’m at work. They’re hysterical and say, ‘Someone just came with a gun and took all our money,” she recounted. Her husband David described the moment as heartbreaking and chilling, initially unable to believe such a crime could target children in their community. The incident shattered the family’s sense of security in what they considered a safe neighborhood.

Community Rallies Behind Young Victims

Local residents responded swiftly to support the Byrne children. Nicole and Jonathan Raukohl, family friends, organized a neighborhood lemonade sale to raise funds for a gun violence prevention organization. Other children in the area helped the siblings paint a replacement lemonade stand. “I’m angry that this happened in this community that we love,” Nicole Raukohl stated. “We’re not just going to let that happen, this is safe place usually and for this to happen is incredibly sad.” The Raukohls emphasized their determination to maintain the neighborhood’s character, refusing to let one criminal act prevent children from enjoying outdoor activities and community engagement on their streets.