Former DA Rachael Rollins "devastated" by Cambridge shooting she says could have been prevented
Former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins is "devastated" following a shooting in Cambridge, Massachusetts that she says could have been prevented had a Boston judge taken her sentencing recommendation back in 2021.
That year, Tyler Brown was convicted following a shootout with Boston Police on Mass. Avenue in 2020.
At the time, Brown was on probation for a 2014 conviction for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon – a knife – and witness intimidation.
At his sentencing, prosecutors for the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, working at the time under D.A. Rachael Rollins, requested 10 to 12 years behind bars for Brown. Judge Janet Sanders instead sentenced him to five to six years behind bars.
"I was so disappointed in the sentence, quite frankly, from the bench, that I issued a press release, which is very, very rare," Rollins told WBZ in her first interview following the Cambridge shooting. "You know, prosecutors might mumble and grumble about being unhappy with what judges do, but I was convinced that this person was going to harm others if they didn't get a significant sentence, and that's why, the office that I led at the time asked for 10 to 12 years, and we asked for five years of probation."
"What the judge did was double harm," Rollins said, noting that the judge issued concurrent – not consecutive – sentences for Brown at the time.
"We were thoughtful and measured when we came up with [10 to 12 years]," Rollins said.
At the time, Rollins issued a scathing statement following the sentencing. "When an individual commits serious, violent offenses that threaten the lives of our community members – which include members of law enforcement – I will advocate for their removal and detention. My office recommended a significant sentence for Mr. Brown given the nature of his offenses and the trauma and harm he inflicted. I am disappointed in the sentence that was imposed," District Attorney Rollins said in a 2021 press release.
She reiterated in 2026 that despite her reputation for at times being soft on crime, she was "the last face you wanted to see if you were committing violent, serious crimes" in her time as Suffolk County District Attorney and U.S. Attorney. "I wanted our government to work and focus on the most violent, serious crimes, and the people perpetrating those crimes, and very candidly, Tyler Brown was one of the people perpetrating those crimes."
"This could have been a mass casualty event, and but for that Marine and that state trooper and the Cambridge Police Department jumping into action, we might be dealing with something even more terrifying than what we did before," Rollins said on Tuesday. "This looked like a scene out of the movie 'Heat,' or, like, you know, 'The Town,' right?"
Rollins recently pulled papers to run for Suffolk County D.A. again, but wouldn't confirm when asked Tuesday if she's officially launching a campaign.
"You know what I'm going to talk to you about right now is just wishing that those people that are in the hospital a safe and speedy recovery," she said. "We are in great hands with D.A. [Marian] Ryan, who's going to prosecute this person, and I bet you whatever the judge is that hears this case is going to think twice and hopefully look at what happened back in 2020. Let's talk about what I'm doing in the future later on, but I wish a speedy recovery to the people that are in the hospital, and all the people who unfortunately experienced that trauma."
WBZ tried to contact Judge Janet Sanders for a comment but was unable to reach her.
