A standoff that began at a Central Square bus stop and ended in an 18-hour barricade inside a Cambridge apartment concluded yesterday with the arrest of 51-year-old Princiano Faustin. The Cambridge Police Department reported that Faustin was first spotted around 6:40 p.m. Friday evening, wielding machetes and injuring a bystander. According to their official statement, his aggressive behavior continued as he brandished the weapons, ignored police orders, and expressed a death wish.
Officers pursued Faustin, who retreated to his residence at the corner of Broadway and Windsor St., and then committed himself to his apartment. Efforts to end the situation included crisis negotiators, mental health clinicians, and judicial partners. The standoff reached a critical moment after police used a pepper ball in an attempt to gain Faustin's compliance. The measure, aimed at the suspect, inadvertently affected the building's residents as the irritant spread through the ventilation system. According to the police department's update, they understand the community concerns this raises.
The crisis concluded when police, with a warrant secured, entered Faustin's unit and placed him under arrest. He will face arraignment at Cambridge District Court on multiple charges. In their statement, the CPD emphasized, "Every use of force by this department is reviewed, and that review is already underway in this case." They reiterated their dedication to the safety of citizens and the review of their practices to ensure such incidents are handled as peacefully as possible.
The initial victim from the Central Square encounter was treated at a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. As the area returns to normal, the CPD thanked local residents for their cooperation during the evacuation process and acknowledged the support of various city partners, including Cambridge Emergency Communications, Cambridge Fire Department, ProEMS, Cambridge Housing, Cambridge Public Schools, and Cambridge Department of Public Works. Roadways have since been reopened, and residents, excluding Faustin's unit, are back in their homes.
