The man accused of shooting randomly at motorists on Cambridge’s Memorial Drive earlier this month was found dangerous and ordered held without bail pending his next court appearance.
Judge Frank E. David said the seriousness of the charges, as well as defendant Tyler Brown’s extensive criminal history in Massachusetts and other jurisdictions — including in Michigan where he was convicted of escaping prison by violence — were compelling reasons to keep Brown detained.
Brown, 46, of Boston, once again attended his Cambridge District Court hearing virtually from a hospital bed, as he did for his arraignment on May 14.
His alleged shooting spree just three days earlier, in which two motorists were critically injured, had come to an end when a State Police trooper and a former U.S. Marine each shot him in his extremities.
Brown, wearing a surgical face mask, appeared Thursday much as he did during his arraignment and made no comment as he nodded along to the proceedings.
By being found to be a danger to the public, Brown will be subject to 120 additional days of detainment. His next court hearing is scheduled for June 22.
Brown is charged with armed assault with intent to murder, possession of a large-capacity weapon, and attempted assault and battery with a firearm.
Prosecutor Nicole Allain showed a roughly minute-long video of the shooting spree. In the video, numerous gunshots could be heard as chaos unfolded on the busy roadway. Multiple vehicles attempted to turn around to avoid the gunman.
At least one of those, a driver of a van, was struck by one of the bullets and struck in the back of the head, Allain said. Another man was also struck and at least one other person told police that a bullet tore through her vehicle’s rear window, whizzed past her and blew through her windshield, according to a police report filed in the case.
Allain also submitted as exhibits four cases from Massachusetts superior courts, which included assault with a dangerous weapon, witness intimidation, and numerous firearms charges, in which Brown had previously been convicted. Judge Frank said he would give weight in his consideration of whether or not to find Brown dangerous.
One of those cases was when Brown shot at Boston Police officers in 2020, firing 13 rounds from a .40 Glock pistol. Two officers had returned fire, firing five rounds. No one was injured in the exchange. Brown pleaded guilty to charges including armed assault to murder in that case.
Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders sentenced Brown to a term of five to six years in that case, half of the prison term recommended by prosecutors.
Then-Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins, who is running for the office again, has condemned that ruling and said that “the mayhem on Memorial Drive could have easily been avoided” if offenders like Brown are “held accountable.”
Brown also has previous records in New Hampshire — drug possession — as well as Michigan, where he was convicted of prison escape by violence, according to the prosecutor. Frank said that as judges in Massachusetts and these other jurisdictions had found Brown dangerous, he gives this information full weight.
Brown’s defense attorney, Carolyn McGowan, said that while she and her team were ready to present a “robust defense” at trial, they had no comment on the exhibits submitted by the prosecution for the hearing.
“There are miles to go in this case and in respect to this,” McGowan said, “we ask the court to recognize this.”
This is a developing story.
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