Armed man detained after brandishing blade at Harvard Square coffee shop
Harvard University ordered a shelter-in-place Tuesday morning while police searched for a man who displayed an edged weapon at a nearby café; the suspect was later arrested without any injuries reported.
At approximately 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, a man displayed an edged weapon at a coffee shop in Harvard Square, leading Harvard University to activate a shelter-in-place order while authorities searched the vicinity. Cambridge Police Department and Massachusetts State Police conducted a nearly hour-long sweep near John F. Kennedy Memorial Park before the Harvard University Police Department issued its initial emergency alert, stating the individual was linked to an aggravated assault and battery.
The weapon was later clarified not to be a machete, contrary to earlier reports. After the search, the suspect was apprehended by state police and faces charges of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. The campus safety order was subsequently lifted, and no injuries were reported.
Why it matters
The incident shows how quickly a potential campus threat can trigger emergency protocols and police coordination.
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