Man Fatally Shot by Cambridge Police Identified

The man fatally shot by Cambridge police Friday was identified as 64-year-old Watertown resident William Woodworth, Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan announced Monday.

Cambridge police responded to a report of suspicious individuals in a parking lot on Temple Street in Central Square shortly after 8 p.m. Friday. During the interaction, Woodworth allegedly exited a vehicle and pointed a loaded gun at responding officers, according to Ryan.

Officers attempted to disarm Woodworth, but were unsuccessful and multiple shots were fired, Ryan wrote. Woodworth was pronounced dead at the scene.

Woodworth was previously arrested in Cambridge in Jan. 2023 for unlawful possession of a loaded firearm after he was stopped by Cambridge police for failing to stop at a stop sign. An officer searched his vehicle during the stop, with Woodworth’s consent, leading to the arrest, according to Cambridge police logs.

Woodworth’s attorney claimed the officer’s search had been conducted without a warrant and successfully moved to exclude evidence found inside Woodworth’s vehicle. Nearly a year after the arrest, the case was closed without a verdict, according to court documents.

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office is investigating the shooting, including by reviewing officer-worn body camera footage and interviewing witnesses.

The office intends to file an inquest, which will require a judge to review the case, according to Meghan Kelly, a spokesperson for the Middlesex DA. Since 2018, the office has used inquests as standard procedure when investigating fatal officer-involved shootings.

The DA’s office publishes additional records, photos, and audio recordings that can legally be disclosed.

Kelly did not comment on when an inquest would be filed.

Two days after the shooting, Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 released a statement calling Woodworth’s death a “tragic” loss and committing to “fully supporting” the ongoing investigation.

“Our officers routinely face complex and dangerous situations - often with only seconds to make critical decisions. The weight of Friday night’s events will stay with everyone involved. We are grateful that the responding officers were not seriously injured and are safe,” the pair wrote.

—Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at shawnb.18. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.

—Staff writer Claire A. Michal can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at ClaireMichal.154.