Suspect 2 Still At Large; Suspect 1 Reported Dead; Extraordinary Drama Plays Out In Greater Boston; 1 Police Officer Killed, Another Wounded
The FBI this morning identified Suspect 2 as Dzhokar Tsarnaev, 19. He is still on the loose. His brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Suspect 1) reportedly is dead after a battle with police in suburban Boston.
UPDATED 1:15 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) Suspect 1 in the Boston Marathon bombings is reported dead after an overnight battle with police; Suspect 2 is reportedly still on the loose. There are concerns he may be armed with explosives.
The FBI this morning identified Suspect 2 as Dzhokar Tsarnaev, 19. (See newly released photo at left.) USA Today has identified the dead suspect as Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, the younger man’s brother.
Greater Boston essentially is on lockdown, with residents instructed to remain inside their homes. Separately, authorities have confirmed the death of one police officer who apparently encountered the suspects last night on or near the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has described a massive police presence in the Boston region as part of an “ongoing manhunt for a person wanted in connection with Monday’s Marathon bombings.”
“[A]ll MBTA services (buses and subway) have been suspended effective immediately,” the governor’s office said. “People should not go to or congregate at transportation stations.
Suspect 1, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, reportedly is dead.
“Residents in Watertown, Newton, Waltham, Belmont, Cambridge and the Allston Brighton neighborhoods of Boston are advised to stay home from work and stay in doors,” the governor’s office continued. “Residents should not answer the door unless it is a police officer, and are advised to stay away from windows. All businesses in these towns will remain closed until further notice. People should not congregate outside.”
Suspect 2 in the Boston bombings reportedly still was on the loose during the morning of April 19.
Details remain murky. The New York Times is reporting that “[t]he two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings led police on a wild and deadly chase through the suburbs here early Friday morning that ended in the death of one of the suspects as well as a campus police officer; the other suspect remained at large while hundreds of police officers conduct a manhunt through Watertown, about five miles west of downtown Boston.”
The Boston Globe is reporting that a police officer employed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was killed and an MBTBA police officer was wounded.
“Ten police officers were being evaluated at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton early this morning, according to a source, who said the officers said they were hurt from grenades being thrown from the window of a car during a car chase,” the Globe reported. “The source did not have information about where the officers were from or the nature of their injuries.”
Officer Sean Collier was slain last night.
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office this morning identified the slain MIT police officer as Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville. Collier had been an MIT officer since January 2012, the agency said. He was found shot in his police car about 10:30 p.m. yesterday.
“A short time later, police received reports of an armed carjacking by two males in the area of Third Street in Cambridge,” the District Attorney’s Office said. “The victim was carjacked at gunpoint by two males and was kept in the car with the suspects for approximately a half hour. The victim was released at a gas station on Memorial Drive in Cambridge. He was not injured.”
Statement on the death of MIT police officer Sean Collier by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office:
CAMBRIDGE — A 26-year-old MIT police officer was the victim of the shooting late last night, Middlesex Acting District Attorney Michael Pelgro, Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas, and MIT Police Chief John DiFava announced today.
Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville has been identified as the victim in last night’s shooting.
Collier was an MIT police officer since January 2012 and prior to that he was a civilian employee with the Somerville Police Department.
Chief DiFava described Collier as a dedicated officer who was extremely well liked by his colleagues and the MIT community.
At approximately 10:20 p.m. April 18, police received reports of shots fired on the MIT campus. At 10:30 p.m., Collier was found shot in his vehicle in the area of Vassar and Main streets. According to authorities, the officer was found evidencing multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and pronounced deceased.
Authorities launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the shooting. The investigation determined that two males were involved in this shooting.
A short time later, police received reports of an armed carjacking by two males in the area of Third Street in Cambridge. The victim was carjacked at gunpoint by two males and was kept in the car with the suspects for approximately a half hour. The victim was released at a gas station on Memorial Drive in Cambridge. He was not injured.
Police immediately began a search for the vehicle and were in pursuit of the vehicle into Watertown. At that time, explosive devices were reportedly thrown from car by the suspects. The suspects and police also exchanged gunfire in the area of Dexter and Laurel streets. During this pursuit, an MBTA Police officer was seriously injured and transported to the hospital.
During the pursuit, one suspect was critically injured and transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. An extensive manhunt is ongoing in the Watertown area for the second suspect, who is believed to be armed and dangerous.
The case is being investigated by local, state and federal authorities working in cooperation. The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad is assessing and removing any potentially explosive devices that may have been thrown on the street in Watertown by the suspects.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Source:
http://middlesexda.com/news/press-release.php?reference=749
Quick note: There may be an alternate spelling of Dzhokar as “Dzhokhar” — with an “h” after the “k.”
The name is being cited both ways in media accounts. At the moment, the FBI is spelling it without the “h” after the “k.”
Patrick
Why Chechens were behind this ?
Are they lost ? it is not Russia.