A man was fatally shot by Cambridge police Friday night at a little after 8 p.m. behind a business on Temple Street in Central Square. The Middlesex District Attorney’s office and Cambridge Police Department said in a statement early Saturday morning that a man in his 60s was shot multiple times by police after he pointed a firearm at officers.
Police had received a call on the department’s business line reporting “suspicious individuals located in a loading dock/ parking lot behind area businesses.” At the scene, officers “engaged verbally with multiple individuals located in the area,” officials said in a statement. Police allege that the man who was shot then got out of a vehicle and pointed a firearm.
The statement said Cambridge police tried to disarm the man before he was shot. The firearm, which was loaded, was then taken from the man. Medical assistance was attempted but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Several officers were taken to area hospitals, treated and released. It is not known what injuries they might have suffered. Acting Police Commissioner Pauline Wells, City Manager Yi-An Huang and Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui put out a statement in Sunday saying in part they were “grateful that the responding officers were not seriously injured and are safe.”
They also offered condolences to the family of the man who was killed, who has not yet been identified.
In addition, over the next two weeks they will each hold open office hours for anyone in the community who has questions about the incident. These will be as follows:
Commissioner Wells
Thursday, August 27
8:00-9:30 a.m.
Street Theory Collective, 541 Massachusetts Avenue
Mayor Siddiqui
Friday, August 28
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Cambridge City Hall, Mayor’s Office, 795 Massachusetts Avenue
City Manager Huang
Tuesday, September 1
8:00-9:30 a.m.
Location TBD
Body cameras were worn
Investigators said the officers were wearing body cameras and footage is being reviewed. However, the city has in the past not released footage until after any legal action has been resolved. City council has pushed for faster release, noting that cities like Worcester typically release footage within a week.
Cambridge police had issued a statement at 10:50 p.m. saying Temple Street was closed and there was a “significant police presence” at the scene. The public was asked to avoid the area. Temple Street is in Central Square and runs between Massachusetts Ave. and Bishop Allen Dr. Temple Street was re-opened later Saturday morning.
The last time Cambridge police shot and killed a person in the city was January 4, 2023, when Sayed Faisal was running through city streets wielding a large knife. An inquest released October 5, 2023 ruled that the shooting was justified.
The Middlesex DA’s office is conducting an inquest into Friday night’s incident.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
This story was updated to note the most recent fatal shooting by Cambridge police and that Temple Street had reopened, and to note that city officials will be holding open office hours.
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That is a street where there is always chaos. The bank has security even in day out front. Temple specially is not a street to walk up without paying attention. Central square has been chaos for a long time.
The Mayor and City Manager issued a statement today.
Part of their statement was as follows: ” Any loss of life is tragic and our deepest condolences go to the family and friends of the person who lost their life and those impacted in our community. ”
They sent their condolences to the family and friends of a person who allegedly pointed a loaded gun at police officers. What are they thinking? How could they say such a thing. They should be ashamed of themselves.