Joint Statement Regarding Recent Shooting Incidents in The Port Neighborhood

Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, City Manager Louis A. DePasquale, Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr., Superintendent Victoria Greer, and Police Superintendents Elow and DiPietro express their most profound concern regarding the recent gun violence in The Port neighborhood. The Cambridge Police Department and the City of Cambridge want to reassure residents of the neighborhood that addressing this violence is the highest priority. Collectively, the Office of the Mayor, Office of the City Manager, Cambridge Public School Department, and Police Department are discussing these incidents and the police and community response that will be implemented.

To ensure residents are aware of the context, the Cambridge Police Department is actively investigating two separate shootings in The Port neighborhood that occurred on the night of July 15 and the early morning of July 16. Two people suffered non-life threatening injuries due to these incidents.

On July 16 at approximately 4:30 a.m., nearby Officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation near the intersection of Broadway and Windsor Street. A 16-year-old Cambridge male was shot in the lower body and was being treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries. A suspect in a vehicle reportedly pulled up to the victim and shot him before fleeing the area. Three shell casings were recovered and two vehicles were damaged due to the gunshots. 

On July 15 at approximately 11:18 p.m., Officers patrolling the area responded to sounds of gunshots and a ShotSpotter activation in the area of 151 Washington Street. A victim (22-year-old Everett male) was located and treated by Officers on-scene after he was shot in the leg. He was then transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. At least eight shell casings were recovered and two vehicles parked in a nearby lot were damaged as a result of the shooting.

At this point in the investigation, these incidents are not believed to be random, and there have been no arrests made at this time. Officers have recovered and are processing evidence from both incidents. Additionally, they will continue to follow-up with both victims, witnesses and anyone living and working in the area at the time of these shootings. Anyone with information is asked to call Cambridge Police at (617) 349-3300. Anonymous reports can be left at (617) 349-3359; sent by text message to 847411 (begin your text with TIP650, then type your message); or by email by visiting CambridgePolice.org/Tips.

Sadly, a large majority of the City’s gun violence continues to occur within a portion of The Port neighborhood. Of the eight gunshot-related incidents that have taken place this year, six have occurred within The Port. Last year, five of the seven incidents happened in The Port. 

A comprehensive officer deployment strategy has been implemented in the Port area. It will continue while these two incidents — and the four others from earlier this year — are actively being investigated. This strategy of heightened visibility supplements directed patrols and officers in Cambridge Police’s Traffic Enforcement, Special Investigations, and Criminal Investigations Units who are frequenting the area in a uniformed or undercover capacity.

Gun violence is not isolated to Cambridge as we saw with this week’s tragic murder in Somerville of the 22-year-old man, who grew up and formerly lived in Cambridge. As such, the Cambridge Police Investigations Unit is working closely with other nearby municipalities, sharing intelligence and key information to address the issue on a regional basis.

Proactively, the Cambridge Police will continue to partner with social service agencies, community leaders, and other criminal justice agencies to offer an evidence-based crime prevention program that directly engages with offenders in a concerted effort to disrupt any harmful behavior before they potentially reoffend. 

The City is committed to the strong partnerships and relationships in the neighborhood. We will leverage all available resources to help us mitigate these senseless acts of violence. We are working on a community meeting and will share the meeting details shortly. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, we encourage that you directly contact any one of us or the Cambridge Police Department at pio@cambridgepolice.org.