Cambridge Holding Community Meeting After Fatal July 4 Shooting

CAMBRIDGE, MA — City and county authorities will host a community meeting Wednesday to provide residents with updates on the investigation into the fatal July 4 shooting that claimed the life of a city Public Works employee.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cambridge Senior Center on 806 Massachusetts Ave. Representatives from the Mayor's Office, City Manager's Office, Cambridge Police Department, Cambridge City Council, Middlesex District Attorney's Office, and public health providers will attend to share information about the investigation, answer questions, and connect residents with available resources. Food and light refreshments will be available beginning at 6 p.m.

Xavier Bautista, 32, was fatally shot during the early morning hours of Saturday, July 4, in the area of Broadway and Norfolk Street.

Cambridge Emergency Communications received an emergency call at approximately 5:30 a.m. reporting a person lying on the ground near the intersection. Cambridge Police, Fire and EMS responded to the scene, where Bautista was pronounced dead after first responders determined he had suffered a gunshot wound. A pedestrian discovered Bautista's body and called 911.

The homicide remains under investigation by the Cambridge Police Department, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office. Authorities have not announced any arrests or identified any suspects, and Cambridge Police have said investigators do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.

"The City of Cambridge is heartbroken to share that a member of our Public Works Department was tragically shot and killed early this morning in the area of Broadway and Norfolk Street while off-duty," City Manager Yi-An Huang and Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui said in a joint statement following the shooting.

The pair described Bautista as "a valued colleague and beloved by his family and friends."

"Gun violence has absolutely no place in our community. We are unwavering in our commitment to keeping Cambridge safe, and we will do everything in our power to support the investigation and ensure accountability," Huang and Siddiqui said. "The city will continue to deploy every necessary resource and will fully support our law enforcement partners as they work to determine the circumstances associated with the shooting and to bring justice to those affected."

According to the city, Spanish interpretation services and CART/open captioning will be available during Wednesday's meeting.

A SupportNow fundraiser has also been established to assist Bautista's family with funeral expenses and other immediate needs following his death.

Anyone with information related to the homicide is asked to contact Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office at 781-897-6600 or Cambridge Police at 617-349-3300. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling the Cambridge Police anonymous tip hotline at 617-349-3359, texting TIP650 followed by a message to 847411, or online through the department's anonymous tip portal.

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