CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Legislation at the Massachusetts State House calling for a mandatory 25-year sentence for anyone convicted of shooting at a police officer is currently stalled in committee.
But Senator Patrick O’Connor told Boston 25 that after what happened in Cambridge this week, he plans to try to save it.
“I think what happened in Cambridge this week is horrendous,” he said.
O’Connor believes this week’s shooting on Memorial Drive was not only predictable, but also avoidable.
Last year, Cambridge shooting suspect Tyler Brown was released on parole after serving only three and a half years for shooting at and trying to kill a Boston police officer. The eight charges he faced included armed assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possessing a large-capacity firearm.
The DA was seeking a 10- to 12-year sentence, but Judge Janet Sanders sentenced him to roughly half that time.
“This gentleman had red flags all over him and we need to do something because if you shoot at a police officer you always wonder, what’s next, what else is he capable of? And we saw it. Sixty rounds on Memorial Drive,” Senator O’Connor said.
O’Connor is the sponsor of Senate Bill 1216, which calls for a mandatory minimum 25-year sentence for anyone convicted of shooting at and trying to kill a police officer.
“Is 25 years too long? Who knows,” O’Connor said. “But I think we need to have the conversation that the judiciary is clearly not doing their job in being able to sentence these people. Because two years, two and a half years, three years, is a joke when it comes to emptying a weapon on a police officer.”
O’Connor’s bill was sent to committee, a move that can effectively kill legislation. But in light of the Cambridge shooting, the senator said he plans to try to revive it.
The effort has the support of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association.
“I’m not a legislator, it’s not what I do professionally, but clearly that is a good start in a conversation to try and stop some of this violence that is ongoing out there,” Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association President Larry Calderone said.
If nothing changes, the bill will die in committee. O’Connor said that if efforts to revive it fail, he plans to reintroduce the legislation during the next legislative session.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
