Authorities believe Tyler Brown fired more than 60 shots “in a very short period of time.”
Cambridge police treat gunman’s wounds after apartment shooting
Two people were seriously injured in a shooting in Cambridge, and a suspect was also injured, but officers treated his wounds before making an arrest.
A Boston man is in custody after allegedly opening fire on a busy road in Massachusetts during daylight hours, fatally shooting two people and causing others to flee for cover.
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said at a press conference that Tyler Brown, 46, is suspected of starting “erratically firing shots” at cars and other passersby on Memorial Drive in Cambridge just after 1 p.m. local time on May 11.
Brown allegedly fired more than 60 shots at two men in separate vehicles over a “very short period of time.” Ryan said both victims suffered serious, life-threatening injuries and were being treated at area hospitals.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper and a licensed former Marine fired at Brown, striking him multiple times. He was treated at the scene and then taken to a Boston hospital where he is being treated for gunshot wounds.
Brown is being held at a hospital and will be charged with two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and firearms offenses, Ryan said.
“People were jumping out of cars.”
People driving on the road during the shooting “jumped out of their cars and scattered in different directions,” Ryan said.
“Remember, while people are shooting, they’re dispersing — well, this person is firing erratically — so they don’t know where they can be safe,” Ryan said. “When officers arrived, they found people actually under the vehicle seeking safety.”
Memorial Drive is a busy road that follows the Charles River and is adjacent to walking and biking trails.
Ryan said at a news conference that a recount of the case “doesn’t even begin to address the trauma experienced by everyone who was at the scene.”
“People who were walking in the river, pushing prams, riding in the river — we know that that weapon could have hit people on the other side of the river,” Ryan said.
The suspect was on probation or parole.
Ryan declined to discuss Brown’s criminal history, but said Brown had been under the supervision of the state’s probation or parole department.
“If Mr. Brown has a criminal history, we will bring it up at his arraignment, but as I said, we know he has been on probation or parole supervision,” she said.
Ryan said the crime scene is still being processed and the incident remains under investigation.
He added that the shooting damaged at least a dozen cars, including one driven by a responding state trooper.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. X Keep up with her at @melinakh and on Instagram @bymelinakhan.
