Arrest Made In Fourth Of July Fatal Cambridge Shooting

CAMBRIDGE, MA — A man has been charged in connection with the fatal July 4 shooting of a Cambridge Department of Public Works employee.

Rayquon Brown, 29, of Canton, was arrested and charged with murder, carrying a firearm without a license, being an armed career criminal, and conspiracy to commit murder in the killing of Xavier Bautista, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Cambridge Police Commissioner Pauline Wells. Brown was arraigned Friday in Cambridge District Court and ordered held without bail. He is scheduled to return to court on Friday, July 17.

According to investigators, Cambridge Police received a 911 call at approximately 5:24 a.m. on July 4 after pedestrians discovered Bautista lying in a pool of blood near the intersection of Norfolk Street and Broadway. Cambridge Police, Cambridge Fire Department, and ProEMS responded to the scene, where Bautista was pronounced dead. An autopsy later determined he died from two gunshot wounds.

Authorities said Bautista had left his home around 4 a.m. wearing his Cambridge Department of Public Works uniform when he was confronted by multiple masked men who shot and killed him. Investigators allege the suspects fled the scene in a white Dodge Ram pickup truck.

The subsequent investigation, which included witness interviews and a review of surveillance video, led investigators to identify Brown and his vehicle as being at the scene during the shooting. Prosecutors allege Brown acted as a lookout and potential backup while holding what appeared to be a firearm, at one point extending the object as though aiming it.

Officials said there is currently no known connection between Brown and Bautista, and the motive remains under investigation.

The shooting prompted a large-scale homicide investigation by the Cambridge Police Department, the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, and Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office. Bautista, 32, was an off-duty Cambridge Department of Public Works employee. Following his death, City Manager Yi-An Huang and Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui described him as "a valued colleague and beloved by his family and friends."

A GoFundMe campaign established to help Bautista's family with funeral expenses and other needs has raised more than $27,000 as of Monday afternoon.

Cambridge Police said the homicide has raised concerns among residents, particularly in The Port neighborhood. The department said it has increased patrols in and around the area to provide reassurance while the investigation continues.

See Also:

Wonder Receives Wonderful Welcome From Cambridge

Cambridge Wine Bar Transitioning Away From Restaurant Service

Cambridge Eatery Named Boston Magazine's Best New Restaurant Of 2026

10-Day MBTA Red Line Closure Coming Soon

Cambridge Nonprofit Receives Statewide Grant Funding