Dorchester man sentenced in Fourth of July shooting

A Dorchester man was sentenced Monday to serve between 17 and 20 years in prison after he shot and killed a woman at a Fourth of July celebration in 2020. 

Kristian Maraj, 26, was convicted Feb. 9 for the shooting of Felicity Coleman, 34, of Dorchester. He was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison for manslaughter and four years for illegal firearm possession, to be served concurrently, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a press release. 

Prosecutors said a group of people were watching fireworks around Stonehurst Street and Norton Street on July 4, 2020, when the incident happened. 

“During the celebration, early in the a.m. of July 5, Maraj got into a fight with another individual and dropped a gun, which a friend picked up and ran with toward Maraj’s house on Hamilton Street,” Hayden’s office said in a release. “Meanwhile, Maraj’s father tried to intercede in the fight, and was stabbed.”

Maraj then got the gun, ran to Norton Street, and shot into a group of people, hitting Coleman.

“This defendant made the reprehensible — and ultimately deadly — decision to indulge his rage by firing into a group of people who were gathered to enjoy fireworks in honor of Independence Day,” Hayden said in a statement. “That decision cost Felicity Coleman her life and handed her family and friends unending sorrow and grief.”

Coleman’s cousin spoke at sentencing today, Hayden’s office said. 

“Although my cousin was not her killer’s direct target, he did have a target in mind,” she said in her statement. “Please remember that this man made his decision to kill prior to doing so.”

Coleman’s cousin said the trial has been “nothing less than painful” but thanked the prosecutors on the case. 

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