Boston was shaken by the robbery of a group of young lemonade sellers

The two suspects on the afternoon of June 10 approached a lemonade stand set up by an 11-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy on the sidewalk in South Boston and pretended to ask to buy it. One suspect then snatched the money box containing 50 USD, the other pulled up his shirt to reveal a gun strapped to his waist to threaten the two children.

The two robbers quickly left, before the children could call their father. The father then reported it to the Boston Police Department. Police released surveillance camera images showing two suspects, who appeared to be in their teens, loitering around the area before the robbery. However, the police have not yet arrested the suspect.

The incident shocked public opinion in Boston, one of the cities considered the safest in America. Many people expressed concern about the two robbers being very young, as well as the consequences for the psychology of the victims.

The children’s mother, Jennifer Byrne, said the incident left her and her children traumatized. She said that while she was at work, her daughter called, burst into tears and announced that “someone used a gun to threaten us and took all our money.”

“My daughter raised her hand and said, ‘Just take the money. Just take it,'” Byrne recalled her saying at the time.

In the US, children often set up lemonade stands in front of their homes or in residential areas every summer. These small stalls are often seen as a way for children to learn to make money, communicate with neighbors and become familiar with basic business concepts such as pricing, serving customers and managing money.

“These were two innocent children just trying to make some pocket money, and yet they had to fear for their lives. It’s terrible. I have no other words,” Byrne said.

Mayor Michelle Wu has repeatedly called Boston “the safest big city in America.” The city government said the number of murders in 2024 fell to the lowest level in 67 years and gun violence in 2025 decreased by more than 30% compared to the five-year average.

According to Boston City Council member Ed Flynn, the armed robbery shows the need to increase police forces and patrol activities. “No one can imagine a children’s lemonade stand being robbed at gunpoint in what is called the safest city in America,” Mr. Flynn said.

The two children said they would rebuild the lemonade stand after the robbery. Neighbors said they would go to the counter, both to encourage the two young victims and to help them make up for the stolen money.