Gunman shot by trooper and civilian after opening fire on Memorial Drive in Cambridge; 2 in critical condition

A gunman who opened fire with what authorities said was an assault-style rifle on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts Monday afternoon was shot by a responding State Police trooper and a civilian. Two men in separate cars were shot and have life-threatening injuries. 

The suspect, 46-year-old Tyler Brown, is in custody and is being treated for gunshot wounds at a Boston hospital. 

It happened around 1:30 p.m. between River Street and Pleasant Street Extension. Videos from witnesses show the gunman walking down the middle of the street firing and waving a rifle. 

According to I-Team sources, a photo of Brown was included in an officer safety bulletin that went out Monday morning. At about 12:30, police officers attempted to do a well-being check at his home in Dorchester after his parole officer reported to police that he made a suicidal statement.

“Active shooter situation”

Shortly after 1 p.m., Cambridge Police received a 911 call from Boston Police about Brown, who was believed to be in the area and in possession of a rifle. 

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said when officers responded to the area, “it was already an active shooter situation.” 

Brown was walking down the middle of Memorial Drive, firing the rifle in “an erratic fashion at various vehicles along the road,” Ryan said. 

Ryan said 50-60 rounds were fired and at least a dozen vehicles were struck by gunfire. Two men in separate vehicles were shot and are currently being treated for life-threatening injuries at Boston hospitals. 

As people were scattering from their cars, Ryan said a State Police trooper and a civilian, a former Marine who has a license to carry a firearm, went toward the suspect with their weapons. 

“Both the trooper and the civilian fired their weapons, and that suspect was struck multiple times in the extremities,” Ryan said. Troopers provided first aid to Brown and the two victims who were struck before they were taken to the hospital. Ryan said the trooper’s cruiser was also struck by gunfire. 

“That does not begin to address the trauma experienced by everybody who was out there, those individuals on the river, walking, pushing baby carriages, riding by,” Ryan said. “We know that that weapon had the capacity to have struck people on the other side of that river.”

A U.S. Postal Service truck was struck by gunfire. A bullet went through the front windshield and hit just inches from the driver’s headrest inside. A coworker of the driver told WBZ she was stopped at a red light when a bullet flew past her. She was not injured.

Investigators do not believe there is any link between Brown and any of the people who were in the cars that were struck.

“This incident lasted minutes thanks to the actions of that trooper and that civilian,” Ryan said. 

Brown is facing several charges including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder. It is unclear when he will be arraigned. He is currently being treated for gunshot wounds in the intensive care unit. 

Ryan said hundreds of witnesses will be interviewed over the next several days. Anyone with video of the shooting is asked to contact Massachusetts State Police. 

In 2021, Brown was sentenced to 5-6 years in state prison followed by probation for firing at a Boston Police officer in the South End. 

“I was running for my life”

Three witnesses told WBZ-TV that they were driving on Memorial Drive when the man began shooting. One driver said he stopped his car, crouched in the vehicle and the gunman hit his radiator. The man’s coworker was driving in front of him, and said the gunman also hit the headlight of that car.

“Got out, walked up to the car in front of me to my coworker to see what was going on. Saw the dude in the street lifting [the gun] up at me,” the man who witnessed the shootout said. “I dipped back into my car and ducked behind my dashboard. My buddy got out, he ran for it. State trooper pulled up directly on the side of me, got out, got behind his car right in front of my driver’s side mirror, got in the gunfight with him.”   

A woman in a small school van was driving on her way to pick up children with special needs when the gunshots began. She said she crouched alongside another woman who was in the van. The two women said they jumped out of the van and fled through the nearby bushes.

“I ran through the bushes and fell in here, and ran all the way down the street. And then they took me in this building over here because I was all shook and everything. Because I was running for my life,” one of the women said, adding she heard at least 15 or more shots.

All of the witnesses described a Massachusetts State Police trooper arriving and – within seconds – engaging the gunman, before shooting the suspect multiple times.

A woman who lives in a nearby apartment building said she was sitting on her 10th-floor balcony when she heard several gunshots, describing them as being fired in rapid succession. Joseph-Minino Rodriguez was on the 18th floor of the building. He said he heard about 30 shots, and saw the gunman screaming in the road.   

Traffic in Cambridge impacted

Drivers were asked to avoid the area as a large portion of Memorial Drive and the surrounding area was marked off with police tape and closed to traffic. The road was reopened late Monday night. 

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said she is monitoring the situation as Massachusetts State Police investigate along with local police. 

“There is no ongoing threat to the public. However, residents and commuters are strongly encouraged to avoid the area to allow public safety personnel to do their work,” Healey said. “Grateful to first responders who worked quickly to keep people safe and secure the scene.”

Memorial Drive is located along the Charles River in Cambridge, minutes from Boston.