CAMBRIDGE, Mass.- A Canton man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the July 4 fatal shooting of Xavier Bautista, a Cambridge Department of Public Works employee who was found dead near Norfolk Street and Broadway.
Rayquon Brown, 29, was charged with murder, carrying a firearm without a license, being an armed career criminal, and conspiracy to commit murder, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Cambridge Police Commissioner Pauline Wells. Brown was arraigned at Cambridge District Court and ordered held without bail. His next court date is scheduled for Friday, July 17, 2026.
The investigation began at approximately 5:24 a.m. on July 4, 2026, after pedestrians walking in the area of Norfolk Street and Broadway found Bautista lying in a pool of blood.
Cambridge Police, Cambridge Fire, and ProEMS responded to the scene, where Bautista was found between a parked vehicle and the curb with an apparent gunshot wound. ProEMS personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Bautista died from two gunshot wounds.
Investigators said Bautista, who worked for the Cambridge Department of Public Works, had left his home at approximately 4:00 a.m. wearing navy-blue Cambridge Department of Public Works work attire when he was confronted by multiple masked men who shot him. Authorities said the individuals then fled the scene in a white Dodge Ram pickup truck.
The subsequent investigation, including witness interviews and a review of available video evidence, led investigators to identify Brown and his vehicle as being present during the shooting.
According to authorities, Brown allegedly acted as a lookout and potential backup during the incident while holding an object that appeared consistent with a firearm. Investigators said he was observed holding the object outstretched at one point as if aiming it.
Authorities said there is currently no known connection between Brown and Bautista, and the motive remains under investigation.
The shooting has raised concerns among residents, particularly in Cambridge’s The Port neighborhood. The Cambridge Police Department said it has increased patrols in and around the area to provide additional police presence.
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