A violent offender who tried to kill a Boston police officer in 2020 opened fire on innocent motorists along a major Cambridge roadway this week, critically wounding two people. Tyler Brown served just three years of a five-year sentence before his release on parole, despite prosecutors requesting up to 12 years in prison.
Rampage Stopped by State Trooper, Former Marine
Brown unleashed 50 to 60 rounds along Memorial Drive around 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, striking two drivers who remain hospitalized in critical condition. The shooting continued until a Massachusetts State Police trooper returned fire, hitting Brown multiple times in the lower extremities. A former Marine who happened to be driving nearby also assisted in stopping the threat. Witnesses abandoned their vehicles and took cover as bullets flew through the busy corridor.
The violent episode began when Brown’s parole officer contacted police after seeing him brandishing a rifle on FaceTime while making suicidal statements. Officers conducting a wellness check at his Dorchester home watched him flee across the river, minutes before the shooting started. An MBTA bus driver was shot in the head, according to family members who spoke with local media. A mail truck also sustained gunfire, though the postal worker escaped injury.
Previous Shootout with Police
In May 2020, Brown fired 13 rounds at Boston police officers responding to a man-with-a-gun call. He pleaded guilty in August 2021 to eight felonies, including armed assault with intent to murder a police officer and weapons charges. Suffolk County prosecutors under then-District Attorney Rachael Rollins requested 10 to 12 years in state prison. Judge Janet Sanders instead sentenced Brown to five to six years, crediting him for 534 days already served.
Warning Went Unheeded
One of the officers Brown targeted in 2020 submitted a victim impact statement warning that Brown would hurt or kill someone upon release. That prediction proved tragically accurate Monday. Brown was still under GPS monitoring and probation supervision when he carried out the latest attack. He now faces multiple charges including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, weapons offenses, and additional felonies. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan confirmed Brown remains hospitalized under guard.