Cops engage in Mass. Ave. shootout
Gross irked as suspect who fired at officers recently released from jail
A man recently let out of jail unloaded his gun at Boston Police, who fired back in a broad-daylight shootout on Mass. Ave., cops say — leaving police Commissioner William Gross thankful that no one was hurt, but fuming about soft-on-crime judges.
Tyler Brown, 40, of Boston, is locked up and due to be arraigned Monday on charges including assault with intent to murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Gross, speaking in front of a section of Massachusetts Avenue cordoned off by crime-scene tape and swarming with officers, said cops responded to a call for a man with a gun threatening people at 134 Northampton St. in the Sound End at 2:13 p.m. Saturday.
When people showed up, they found a man nearby matching the description,
Gross said — but the man dashed off, heading toward Chester Park, which is a block of Mass. Ave. that has a small park separating the busy street from the redbrick row houses on either side. That’s when the man opened fire, the commissioner said.
“During the pursuit, the suspect discharged his firearm at the responding Boston Police officers,” Gross said. “Being in fear of their lives, as well as those of pedestrians, people that are on these streets with their families — being in fear, they returned fire.”
The man later identified as Brown fired back, emptying his gun at the cops — but neither he nor the officers were struck by any bullets, Gross said.
“Thank God, no persons were injured,” Gross said, though he added that four officers were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Officers eventually grabbed Brown and arrested him as Brown “violently struggled,” Gross said.
“He was fighting all the way,” Gross told reporters at the scene a couple of hours later, several members of his command staff standing masked behind the commissioner, several feet away from each other due to coronavirus on the sunny day.
Gross added, “Where we’re at, commonwealth of Mass., a lot of defense attorneys say that I prejudiced the investigation, but since people pay their money for people to be rehabilitated, we can at least tell you he was released from prison in January.”
Gross, who frequently wears his heart on his sleeve, has called out judges he says are setting the wrong tone by releasing more people from jail before and particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re highly upset at this,” Gross said, referring to himself, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins.
“There have been judges releasing violent criminals to the street … You’re setting a mentality on the street that people can do whatever they want because they’re going to get smacked on the wrist,” Gross said. “Folks, we just need to think about that when it comes to voting time — who’s releasing violent offenders from jail.”