Man fatally shot by Cambridge cops after allegedly pointing gun at officers

A man in his 60s was fatally shot by Cambridge police Friday night after allegedly pointing a gun at officers responding to a report of suspicious activity.

The shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m. on Temple Street, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Cambridge Police Commissioner Pauline Wells.

Police received reports of several people loitering in a loading dock area behind local businesses, officials said. When officers arrived, they spoke with the people at the scene while a man sat inside a vehicle.

Authorities alleged that man then got out of the vehicle and pointed a gun at the officers. Police attempted to physically disarm him before multiple shots were fired, striking the man, according to Ryan’s office.

Officials did not disclose how many officers fired their weapons or how many shots were fired.

Police recovered a loaded firearm from the man, authorities said. Officers provided medical aid at the scene, but he was pronounced dead.

Several Cambridge police officers were taken to area hospitals as a precaution and were later treated and released.

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the DA’s office, and Cambridge police are investigating the shooting. Authorities are interviewing witnesses and reviewing available video, including footage from officers’ body-worn cameras.

The man’s identity was not immediately released. 

Temple Street was closed Friday night as investigators worked the scene. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area.