Man armed with large knife shot and killed by Cambridge Police officer
CAMBRIDGE - A man who was armed with a large knife was shot and killed by a Cambridge Police officer Wednesday afternoon. It happened after a foot chase in the area of Chestnut Street, police said.
A Cambridgeport resident called 911 at about 1:15 p.m. to report a man jumped out of an apartment window with what appeared to be a machete. The man was then seen cutting himself with the weapon and broken glass from the window he jumped out of.
When police arrived, they located the man later identified as 20-year-old Sayed Faisal behind a building on Sidney Street. Faisal then ran from the area carrying the weapon, which investigators described as a foot long Kukri knife.
"There was a multiple block chase during which he was wielding this fairly intimidating knife," Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said.
On Chestnut Street, Faisal allegedly moved towards officers with the knife. An officer discharged a less than lethal "sponge round" which did not stop Faisal, Ryan said.
"He continued to advance to the officers holding the knife at one point across his body, and then holding it raised out in front of him," Ryan said. "A Cambridge officer discharged his department issued firearm and struck Mr. Faisal."
Faisal was treated by officers until EMS arrived at the scene. He was taken to Mass General Hospital and then later died of his injuries.
"Our officers tried several times to engage the individual verbally unsuccessfully. This lasted over five blocks from where we first encountered them," Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow said. "We tried several times to deescalate the situation."
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on leave. The shooting is under investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney's office.