Union Criticizes Judge After Trooper and Veteran Foil Gunman

The Boston police officers’ union has expressed strong disapproval of Suffolk Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders. This comes in the wake of a situation where a Massachusetts state trooper and a Marine Corps veteran intervened to stop a gunman from potentially causing mass harm.

On Monday, Cambridge police reported that an individual armed with a rifle was behaving erratically. This person, identified as Tyson Brown, 46, has a documented history of violent offenses and fired off 60 shots shortly after being released from a local psychiatric hospital. This incident has sparked significant outrage from the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association.

The union remarked on social media, “Let’s talk about the ball drop.” They emphasized that it was disturbing to think the justice system had previously shown leniency to someone who attempted to kill a police officer, describing it as “the definition of insanity.” This, they argue, is a blatant disregard for those risking their lives daily.

In 2021, it was reported that Brown had fired at least 13 shots at law enforcement with an illegally owned .40 caliber Glock during a confrontation in May 2020.

The union also commended the actions of the trooper and Marine veteran who engaged Brown. They referred to this as “another example of heroes rushing into danger,” noting that during the incident in Cambridge, law enforcement and military personnel confronted and subdued the gunman, undoubtedly saving lives.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kettlewell indicated that the recommended sentence for Brown was between 10 to 12 years in state prison, alongside five years of probation. However, Judge Sanders ultimately sentenced him to just five to six years in prison with three years of probation. Kettlewell expressed disappointment with the leniency shown, given the severity of Brown’s actions.

There were at least 18 shots fired in the May 2020 incident, but thankfully, no civilians or officers were reported injured. Brown had a record that included charges of witness intimidation and assault before the May attack.

As noted by Kettlewell, the responding officers were met with immediate danger as Brown attempted to ambush them, firing three times more shots than the officers fired in return.