Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Random Shooter Injures Two in Second Boston Area Rampage | Crime Alert 05.13.26

Episode Date: May 13, 2026

Tyler Brown opens fire on a Cambridge street, injuring two, with the Middlesex District Attorney revealing Brown's done this before. Grandmother stabbed 11 times for deigning to ask her grandson for help with Mother's Day groceries. Army veteran killed in house fire set by man she turned down. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Crime Alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney. A terrifying scene of random violence unfolded on the streets of Cambridge, Massachusetts Monday afternoon, leaving two innocent bystanders fighting for their lives. Just after 1 p.m., the chaos began with reports of a man acting erratically near Memorial Drive,

armed with a rifle and firing shots. Middlesex District Attorney Marion Ryan identified the suspect as 46-year-old Tyler Brown of Boston. By the time Massachusetts State Police reached the scene, the situation had escalated into a full-scale active shooter event. That individual was already traveling down the middle of Memorial Drive. Cars were stopped in traffic. He was in the possession of that assault-style rifle that had been described, and he was actively firing. in an erratic fashion at various vehicles along the road. As Brown unleashed a hail of gunfire, two men sitting in their vehicles were struck. Both victims were rushed to a Boston hospital with life-threatening injuries.

While the bullets flew, witnesses and arriving officers scrambled for cover. When troopers arrived, we discovered some individuals actually under their car, having tried to seek a safe place. The violence was finally brought to an end by the combined efforts of a civilian marine veteran and a responding state trooper. They managed to subdue Brown, striking him multiple times. Brown is currently in police custody at a local hospital. Investigators later recovered the rifle on the grass near a bike path by the Charles River,

a location that highlighted the potential for even more casualties. We know that that weapon had the capacity to have struck people on the other side of that river. Authorities estimate that 50 to 60 rounds were fired in a matter of minutes. Joseph Menino Rodriguez, who witnessed the shootout from his 18th floor apartment, captured terrifying audio of the engagement on his cell phone. Rodriguez described the moment Brown finally gave up after engaging in a direct gunfight with the police. I'm thinking they shot his leg, so he lays down, he throws the gun. So once he throws a gun, my boy is just out here just laying down and now he got hands up.

Now he's done. As the investigation continues, a troubling picture of Tyler Brown's past is emerging. records show he pleaded guilty in 2021 after a previous exchange of gunfire with Boston police. At the time of Monday's shooting, he was still on probation. District Attorney Ryan is using this tragedy to renew a push for stricter legislation, citing a bill which would specifically punish shooters who act with total disregard for human life. And it is also important to recognize that this risk that's created by this firing of a gun, where people are nearby is the subject of a bill that has been filed for the past four sessions

to create an offense to punish a shooter who acts, as I would suggest to you, was the case today, without regard for the risk of seriously bodily injury to another. We will be refiling that bill again this session because that is the legislation that we need to address this kind of situation. Brown now faces two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, along with various weapons charges. More crime and justice news after this. Harry Styles, live in London, England at Wembley Stadium. Harry Styles. IHart Radio wants to send you and a mate across the pond, with flights from Virgin Atlantic,

hotel from TripCentral.ca, tickets, and $1,000 cash. Download the free IHart Radio app. Listen to IHart New Music for 10 minutes. Enter to win. Every day is another chance to see Harry Styles. Very excited to see you with the show. Kiss all the time, disco occasionally available now. A Mother's Day celebration turned into a bloody nightmare in West Palm Beach, Florida, after a dispute over dinner led to a brutal stabbing. 29-year-old Kio Notting is behind bars after allegedly attacking his own 74-year-old grandmother. According to West Palm Beach police, the conflict began last Friday afternoon when the family returned from shopping for

a Mother's Day meal. When Notage was asked to help carry groceries into the house, he reportedly became increasingly agitated. Court documents state that Nottingly declared, someone is going to die today before walking into the kitchen and grabbing a knife. Police say Nottings then turned on his grandmother, stabbing her approximately 11 times. His cousin attempted to intervene, but was forced to flee for his own life when Notting allegedly threatened him with a blade. Officers arrived to find Nottage and his cousin in a physical altercation in the driveway. The grandmother was rushed to emergency surgery and remains in critical condition. Notting is currently held without bond, charged with attempted first-degree premeditated murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

In Pennsylvania, a man's inability to handle romantic rejection has resulted in a fatal arson that claimed the life of a female army veteran. Forty-year-old Robert Shane Zimmerman was arrested after a home in Lewiston was set ablaze late Wednesday night. Witnesses told police that Zimmerman had gone to the residents to profess his love for a woman living in the attic. When she rejected his advances, Zimmerman allegedly began setting items on fire on the first floor. The house, which was divided into several sublets, quickly became a death trap. One resident was forced to jump from the second floor to escape the flames, suffering severe facial injuries and internal burns to his throat. Another woman was found unconscious,

on the sidewalk after passing out from smoke inhalation. Tragically, 44-year-old Brandy Phillip did not make it out. Her body was recovered inside the home after she became trapped while attempting to flee. Philip was a proud veteran who specialized in Patriot missiles during her service and later worked as a professional truck driver. Investigators say surveillance footage caught Zimmerman standing in a nearby alley watching the home burn. When police located him later that night, they noted he smelled like ash and smoke.

After being treated for a fentanyl overdose during his arrest, Zimmerman reportedly made several incriminating statements to detectives. While he claimed he couldn't remember the exact moment the fire started, he showed a strong emotional response when told someone had died. He is currently facing arson and homicide charges. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, be sure to tune in tomorrow on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney.

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