Police, Armed Civilian Shoot Suspect After He Fires at Cars on Cambridge Roadway

A police-involved shooting in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Monday prompted online outrage after authorities identified the suspect as Tyler Brown, a man with a long criminal history who fired shots along a busy roadway.

Video aired by FOX 25 Boston shows Brown walking down the street while firing as cars passed nearby, leading to a large law enforcement response. The station reported that the suspect was shot, though the shared footage did not capture that moment.

Massachusetts State Police said troopers arrived around 1:20 p.m. to a law enforcement-involved shooting near Memorial Drive and River Street. EMS treated at least one person for a gunshot wound, the agency said, with no further details available at the time.

Cambridge Police Department officers responded shortly after 1:30 p.m. to reports of gunshots in the area. CPD and state police remained on scene, but officials said there was no ongoing danger to the public and asked residents to avoid the area.

Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan said the incident started after Boston police warned of a man acting erratically and believed to be armed with a rifle. Officers arrived to find an active shooter situation, with Brown walking down the middle of Memorial Drive, firing erratically as traffic stopped.

"In the course of doing that, two males in vehicles separately were struck by gunfire," Ryan said.

A Massachusetts State Police trooper and an armed civilian, a former Marine licensed to carry, confronted Brown as people fled vehicles and took cover. Both fired, hitting Brown multiple times in the extremities, Ryan said. Brown received treatment at the scene and was taken to a Boston hospital, where he remains in custody.

The two drivers shot inside their vehicles went to Boston hospitals with life-threatening injuries, officials said. Ryan noted that a very high number of rounds, around 50 to 60, were fired in a short time.

Brown faces multiple charges, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and weapons offenses.

Boston 25 News reported Brown's criminal history over nearly two decades, based on court records for a man with the same name and birth date. Those records include prior firearm and drug convictions. In 2020, Brown fired multiple rounds at Boston police while on probation in another case. Prosecutors sought a longer sentence then, but a judge gave a shorter one, drawing criticism from the district attorney's office.

Reaction spread online after news of Brown's record. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted on social media that "the judge who let this guy off easy should go to prison."

Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue commented on the shooting, promising to ensure repeat offenders like Brown do not receive lenient sentences or parole.

"The fundamental role of the governor is to uphold the law and keep our communities safe. When our criminal justice system throws common sense out the window and allows dangerous, violent people to get out of prison quickly or early, it means innocent moms, dads, and kids may be killed," Minogue said in a statement. "I am grateful to the officers who stopped today's attack and saved lives."

Gov. Maura Healey posted on X that she was monitoring the Memorial Drive situation. "@MassStatePolice are on the scene and working alongside local law enforcement to investigate. There is no ongoing threat to the public," she wrote. "However, residents and commuters are strongly encouraged to avoid the area to allow public safety personnel to do their work. Grateful to first responders who worked quickly to keep people safe and secure the scene."