Cambridge Police Commissioner Pauline Wells and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan have confirmed an investigation into a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday evening on Temple Street in Cambridge.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, Cambridge Police responded to a call received on the Department’s business line, reporting suspicious individuals located in a loading dock/parking lot behind area businesses. The caller reported that the individuals had been in the area for a while.
Cambridge Police Officers responded to the scene and engaged verbally with multiple individuals located in the area. The preliminary investigation suggests that a man in his 60s, who was seated in a vehicle when the police arrived on scene, allegedly exited his vehicle and pointed a firearm at officers. Cambridge Police Officers attempted to physically disarm the individual and multiple shots were fired striking the individual. A loaded firearm was taken from that individual. Medical aid was rendered on scene, however the individual was pronounced dead. Several Cambridge Police Officers were transported to area hospitals as a precaution. They have since been treated and released.
The investigation is being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney’s Office and Cambridge Police. It will include witness interviews and a review of available video. Responding Officers were all equipped with body worn cameras. That footage is also being reviewed.
A significant police presence remained on scene. Temple Street was closed and the public was asked to avoid the area and allow emergency personnel and investigators to safely conduct their work.
It is the statutory obligation of the District Attorney to investigate officer-involved shootings. In 2018, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office began the
practice of requesting inquests for these fatal incidents. An inquest is a judicial proceeding conducted for the purpose of finding the facts and circumstances surrounding a death and determining whether a crime occurred. This process prioritizes fairness, transparency and completeness.
