Man 'erratically' opens fire on busy Massachusetts road, injuring 2

A Boston man is in custody after he allegedly opened fire on a busy Massachusetts road, shooting two people and leaving others fleeing for cover in the middle of the day.

On May 11 shortly after 1 p.m. local time, Tyler Brown, 46, allegedly began "firing erratically" at cars and other passersby on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said at a news conference.

Brown allegedly shot two men in separate vehicles, firing upwards of 60 rounds within "a very short period of time." The two victims are being treated at area hospitals with life-threatening injuries, Ryan said.

The suspect was confronted by a Massachusetts State Police officer and a former Marine licensed to carry a firearm who each fired at Brown, striking him multiple times. He was treated on scene before being transferred to a Boston hospital, where he is being treated for gunshot wounds.

Brown is in custody at the hospital and is expected to be charged with two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and firearms offenses, per Ryan.

'People were jumping from their cars'

During the shooting, people driving along the road "were jumping from their cars, scattering in various directions," Ryan said.

"Remember, they're scattering while people are firing – well, this individual is firing erratically – so they don't know where they're going to be safe," Ryan said. "When troopers arrived, we discovered some individuals actually under their car, having tried to seek a safe place."

Memorial Drive is a busy roadway running along the Charles River, adjacent to a walking and biking path.

Ryan said at the news conference that the recounting of the incident "does not begin to address the trauma experienced by everybody who was out there."

"Those individuals on the river walking, pushing baby carriages, riding by – we know that that weapon had the capacity to have struck people on the other side of that river," Ryan said.

Suspect was under probation or parole

Ryan declined to address Brown's criminal history but said that he was under the supervision of either the state's probation or parole departments.

"We will address Mr. Brown's criminal record, if any, at the arraignment, but we do know, as I said, that he was under the supervision of probation or parole," she said.

The crime scene is still being processed, and the incident is under investigation, Ryan said.

She added that at least a dozen cars were damaged in the shooting, including the vehicle driven by the responding state police officer.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.