A suspect is facing charges after a shootout with Massachusetts State Police troopers ended with two people seriously injured Monday afternoon, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said.Just after 1 p.m. Monday, Cambridge police received a call from Boston police that someone was seen acting erratically and was in possession of a rifle and firing shots near Memorial Drive, near Harvard University.The suspect was identified as Tyler Brown, 46, of Boston.By the time state police troopers responded to the scene, the incident had escalated to an active shooter situation, Ryan said. “That individual was already traveling down the middle of Memorial Drive. Cars were stopped in traffic. He was in possession of that assault-style rifle that had been described and he was actively firing in an erratic fashion at various vehicles on the road,” Ryan said. Video: Witness video appears to show law enforcement take down suspectAccording to Ryan, two men, who were sitting in cars near the shooting, were shot and taken to a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries. Flying overhead, sister station WCVB’s helicopter saw two people being loaded into waiting ambulances by paramedics.A civilian and former Marine, as well as an arriving state trooper, were able to subdue the suspect and shot Brown multiple times, Ryan said. He was treated on scene and later taken to a Boston hospital, where he is being further treated and is in police custody.A rifle was seen on the grass between the road and the bike path, which runs beside the Charles River. “We know that that weapon had the capacity to strike people on the other side of that river,” Ryan said. Around 50 to 60 rounds were fired in a short period of time, Ryan said.”When troopers arrived, we discovered some individuals actually under their car having tried to seek a safe place,” Ryan said.According to Ryan, there is no connection between the suspect and the victims who were shot and injured.Ryan confirmed that officials would address Brown’s criminal history during an upcoming arraignment. Brown was on probation at the time of the shooting, Ryan said.Brown is facing several charges in connection with the incident, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, possession and a variety of other charges as an investigation continues. In 2021, Brown was involved in a previous shootout with Boston police nearly six years ago, sources confirmed to WCVB. During Monday’s press conference, Ryan noted that a bill failed to pass several times in the Massachusetts legislature, which aimed to punish a shooter who acted without regard for human life. “And it is also important to recognize that this risk that’s created by this firing of a gun, where people are nearby is the subject of a bill that has been filed for the past four sessions to create an offense to punish a shooter who acts, as I would suggest to you, was the case today without regard for the risk of serious bodily injury to another,” Ryan said. After Monday’s events, Ryan said that the bill would be refiled.”But who shoots intentionally or recklessly and hereby causes a substantial risk of serious bodily injury? That is a bill we filed for the last four sessions. It has not been passed. We will be refilling that bill again this session, because that is the legislation that we need to address this kind of situation.”Witnesses describe shootingVideo from witness Youssef Adel showed the moment when it appeared that officers took down the suspect. Armando Zona, who lives near the shooting scene, said he made eye contact with the gunman.”I never thought that gunshots could be so loud,” Zona said. “I feel like we made contact. It was a split second.”A stray bullet missed Zona by inches and shattered a balcony door in his home.Witness Lisa Schill, who was in a school van on the way to pick up kids at school, told WCVB that she heard multiple shots fired in quick succession. She left the van behind and ran away from the incident. “I was running for my life,” Schill said. Witness Shannon Young said dozens of cars were waiting in traffic when he saw a man with a rifle open fire.”It was definitely semiautomatic. He was letting off too quick to be a single-shot,” Young said. Young said he ran after his vehicle was hit in the driver’s side headlight.”My car is shot. It won’t start now,” he said. ‘Gunfight with the cops’ Joseph Minino Rodriguez, who saw the incident unfold from his apartment on the 18th floor, described seeing the gunman firing into traffic. He shared cell phone video from the shooting and said he was on the phone with emergency dispatchers as the incident unfolded. Rodriguez said that, while he was watching, the shooter “just straight up gets into a gunfight with the cops.” He said the gunman appeared to fall during that gunfight and then threw his gun.”Once he throws the gun, my boy is just out here, just lying down, and now he has his hands up. Now he’s done,” Rodriguez said.
A suspect is facing charges after a shootout with Massachusetts State Police troopers ended with two people seriously injured Monday afternoon, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said.
Just after 1 p.m. Monday, Cambridge police received a call from Boston police that someone was seen acting erratically and was in possession of a rifle and firing shots near Memorial Drive, near Harvard University.
The suspect was identified as Tyler Brown, 46, of Boston.
By the time state police troopers responded to the scene, the incident had escalated to an active shooter situation, Ryan said.
“That individual was already traveling down the middle of Memorial Drive. Cars were stopped in traffic. He was in possession of that assault-style rifle that had been described and he was actively firing in an erratic fashion at various vehicles on the road,” Ryan said.
Video: Witness video appears to show law enforcement take down suspect
According to Ryan, two men, who were sitting in cars near the shooting, were shot and taken to a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Flying overhead, sister station WCVB’s helicopter saw two people being loaded into waiting ambulances by paramedics.
A civilian and former Marine, as well as an arriving state trooper, were able to subdue the suspect and shot Brown multiple times, Ryan said.
He was treated on scene and later taken to a Boston hospital, where he is being further treated and is in police custody.
A rifle was seen on the grass between the road and the bike path, which runs beside the Charles River.
“We know that that weapon had the capacity to strike people on the other side of that river,” Ryan said. Around 50 to 60 rounds were fired in a short period of time, Ryan said.
“When troopers arrived, we discovered some individuals actually under their car having tried to seek a safe place,” Ryan said.
According to Ryan, there is no connection between the suspect and the victims who were shot and injured.
Ryan confirmed that officials would address Brown’s criminal history during an upcoming arraignment. Brown was on probation at the time of the shooting, Ryan said.
Brown is facing several charges in connection with the incident, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, possession and a variety of other charges as an investigation continues.
In 2021, Brown was involved in a previous shootout with Boston police nearly six years ago, sources confirmed to WCVB.
During Monday’s press conference, Ryan noted that a bill failed to pass several times in the Massachusetts legislature, which aimed to punish a shooter who acted without regard for human life.
“And it is also important to recognize that this risk that’s created by this firing of a gun, where people are nearby is the subject of a bill that has been filed for the past four sessions to create an offense to punish a shooter who acts, as I would suggest to you, was the case today without regard for the risk of serious bodily injury to another,” Ryan said.
After Monday’s events, Ryan said that the bill would be refiled.
“But who shoots intentionally or recklessly and hereby causes a substantial risk of serious bodily injury? That is a bill we filed for the last four sessions. It has not been passed. We will be refilling that bill again this session, because that is the legislation that we need to address this kind of situation.”
Witnesses describe shooting
Video from witness Youssef Adel showed the moment when it appeared that officers took down the suspect.
Armando Zona, who lives near the shooting scene, said he made eye contact with the gunman.
“I never thought that gunshots could be so loud,” Zona said. “I feel like we made contact. It was a split second.”
A stray bullet missed Zona by inches and shattered a balcony door in his home.
Witness Lisa Schill, who was in a school van on the way to pick up kids at school, told WCVB that she heard multiple shots fired in quick succession. She left the van behind and ran away from the incident.
“I was running for my life,” Schill said.
Witness Shannon Young said dozens of cars were waiting in traffic when he saw a man with a rifle open fire.
“It was definitely semiautomatic. He was letting off too quick to be a single-shot,” Young said.
Young said he ran after his vehicle was hit in the driver’s side headlight.
“My car is shot. It won’t start now,” he said.
‘Gunfight with the cops’
Joseph Minino Rodriguez, who saw the incident unfold from his apartment on the 18th floor, described seeing the gunman firing into traffic. He shared cell phone video from the shooting and said he was on the phone with emergency dispatchers as the incident unfolded.
Rodriguez said that, while he was watching, the shooter “just straight up gets into a gunfight with the cops.”
He said the gunman appeared to fall during that gunfight and then threw his gun.
“Once he throws the gun, my boy is just out here, just lying down, and now he has his hands up. Now he’s done,” Rodriguez said.
