A heavy police presence was witnessed near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge after reports of an active shooter along Memorial Drive on Monday afternoon.
According to Cambridge police, officers responded to reports of shots fired near River Street around 1:30 p.m. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Massachusetts State Police, responded to the scene as videos circulating online showed a man carrying a rifle near moving traffic.
Witnesses claimed dozens of shots were fired during the incident, and some said the suspect appeared to fire randomly near the road before police returned fire.
“A guy holding a rifle… I ran. He started shooting out of nowhere,” a witness identified as Dennis Rodriguez told local media.
Videos from the scene showed police vehicles blocking roads while ambulances and emergency crews surrounded parts of Memorial Drive.
During the operation, helicopters were also seen flying over the area.
Massachusetts State Police later confirmed that officers were involved in the shooting.
Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public; however, residents were advised to avoid the area while investigations continued.
Gov. Maura Healey said she was closely monitoring the situation and thanked first responders for securing the scene.
The identities of those involved and the motive for the shooting have not yet been officially made public.
