Cambridge police unions say shooting death "directly related" to removal of ShotSpotter technology
A grieving family is seeking justice in the shooting death of a beloved and valued Cambridge, Massachusetts DPW worker, while Cambridge police unions say the tragedy could have been prevented if a gunshot detection system was still in place.
Xavier Bautista was shot and killed around 4:30 a.m. on the Fourth of July. The 32-year-old was found by a pedestrian lying in the street near Norfolk and Broadway an hour later.
All that's left are memories of a proud dad with his 5-year-old little boy and questions from his fiancé and family about why he isn't here.
"You robbed a 5-year-old of his best friend of his favorite person, and you broke a bond that I can't fix," said the victim's fiancée Demetris Grimsley. "Xavier was a really great guy; he didn't deserve that, he was a very goofy, funny family-oriented guy."
The Cambridge DPW worker was supposed to be working overtime for the holiday weekend and starting at 6 a.m.
"He was supposed to be working all weekend, but he never made it," said Grimsley.
The shooter has not been caught. Now the Cambridge Police Patrol Officers Association and Cambridge Police Superior Officers Association say if the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system had still been active, it may have made a difference in keeping Bautista alive.
City officials say there was ShotSpotter coverage where Bautista was found, but in May, the Cambridge City Council voted to stop using the gunshot sensors across the city.
"The tragic shooting death of Cambridge city employee Xavier Bautista is compounded by the fact that there was no opportunity for the victim to receive emergency aid for approximately 60 minutes. This is directly related to the City Council's mandate removing Shot Spotter technology from deployment in Cambridge," said the police unions in a statement.
"It is plausible that the ShotSpotter system could have resulted in first responders arriving on-scene more quickly, particularly in this case when the shooting was not initially reported via 9-1-1," said Cambridge City Spokesman Jeremy Warnick.
However, in a statement to WBZ News, City Councilor Patricia Nolan said it was, "premature and irresponsible to speculate and assert it would have made a difference. I acknowledge that it is a legitimate question. We should wait for a full investigation before assuming whether that or another technology could have prevented this death."
But more than anything else, the family wants whoever pulled the trigger to be off the streets.
"I want justice for Xavier, for the family for our son, I think we all deserve that," said Grimsley.
A community meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Cambridge Senior Center to talk about the shooting. The family plans to be there.
