5:50pm PT: Boston Police tweet: “CAPTURED!!! The hunt is over. The search is done. The terror is over. And justice has won. Suspect in custody.” Watertown residents stream into streets to cheer police as cars roll back out of town…
5:47pm PT: Local media: Second “suspect alive, in custody, and they’re asking for a medic. It’s over.” Applause heard breaking out around scene. || Boston Police tweet: “Suspect in custody. Officers sweeping the area.”
4:31pm PT: “Barrage of gunfire” heard in Watertown. “Body found on a boat,” reports NBC’s Pete Williams. Area locked down, officials respond, reports of suspect surrounded…unclear whether person is still alive…
12:51pm PT: Noteworthy developments since I last checked in here. The suspects are brothers from Chechnya and have been in the U.S. for two years or more. The one who was killed is 26-year old Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The one still on the lam is 19-year old Dzhokhar. Here’s another good timeline of the overnight events through 8:40am ET today as the city remains shut down during the on-going manhunt…
3:15am PT: All MBTA transit trains and buses have been shut down, as the man hunt continues. Since I suspect this is all going to be over, one way or another, by the time I wake up, and since it’s the second near-all-nighter I’ve had here in a row, I’m going to try and hasten things by going to sleep. Though I’ll likely still be following along and retweeting on The Twitters.
1:55am PT: It’s been a wild night, where we’ve been trying to keep up with and/or make sense of developments via Twitter.
So far, one MIT officer has been shot dead. Another local law enforcement official is in critical condition after a gunfight with the alleged Boston Marathon bombing suspects. One of those suspects, the one seen in the black hat in photos released by the FBI earlier today, is now dead, according to officials.
The other suspect, in the white hat, is being pursued in the Watertown area at this time, where residents have been asked to stay inside, lock their doors, and do not open it unless it is for the police who are going yard-by-yard searching for the second suspect. He is believed to be armed and very dangerous.
Here, via CBS Boston, is what happened up until now, over the past 5 hours or so, according to a description offered by the Middlesex District Attorney…
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.
NBC has more details on the firefight and the other extraordinary events throughout the night.
They’re a disgrace to humanity, monsters who’ve inflicted unspeakable harm on children and other totally innocent people. Only stupid extremists would support their action. Their own uncle said, “everyone now is playing with the word ‘Chechen.’ So they put that shame on the entire ethnicity”.
Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/uncle-to-fugitive-boston-bombing-suspect-turn-yourself-in-1.1244954#ixzz2QvtaGNTN
CNN’s epic fail is now complete as the bad guys turned out to not be right wing white guys as “sources” had “reported”. Bad week for the “main stream” media…
Steve got cite for CNN’s claim that “sources” had “reported” the bad guys as right wingers?
Thanks in advance!
Actually, they have been in the US since at least 2005. Dzhokhar (a/k/a Johar) graduated from Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, our public high school (where my daughter goes, by the way), in 2011. More information at http://www.cambridgeday.com and http://www.wbur.org (one of their reporters hosted a prom party given by her nephew and attended by Dzhokhar, who was a close friend of his and has remained friends with him).
Steve @2-
Do you have more than one ass that you pull this shit out of? Seems like an awful lot to pull outta just one.
In responding to Brad’s initial article on the Boston Marathon bombing, I wrote:
Unclear what type of guns these two (alleged) mass murderers used in the carjacking and in gunning down officers in a firefight, but it is clear that the NRA will be the last to complain about their access to the same.
Heard a report earlier today that the two suspects bragged about their role in the bombing to the guy who got carjacked.
A crime scene must be carefully examined when there are as in this case at least 10 uniformed mercenaries also carrying backpacks right near the finish line. It’s totally premature to say these were the villains. More likely they were part of the drill and didn’t know they would also be turned to be the patsies. I predict the detonator was on the truck near the Craft mercenaries. An eyewitness said he smelled cordite for the explosions which is military grade meaning obtained from the military. Ben Swann has the best report yet about how the FBI itself is responsible for these events and he’s on Fox news. David Lasagna please communicate in journalistic English and stop the vile language same with Brad.
Marzi,
Don’t know what journalistic English is. I mean I really don’t fuckin’ know. I wish to fuck I did.(I’m just trying to bother you now cuz I get offended when people try to tell me how to talk.) Do know that Steve Snyder has been spouting nonsense here for years. Do know that I am very tired of it. Do know that you are not listening to what is being said to you in the last few comment sections and continue to leap to wild unsubstantiated conclusions. Guess different people find different things vile.
To everyone else–
Personally I found the whole celebratory thing weird and unsettling. (I had a similar reaction to the jubilation response to bin Laden’s killing.) While I can certainly understand a sense of relief, I do not see a hell of a lot to be celebrating here. What the two suspects did was terrible. What happened to them was also terrible. The way it was reported was terrible. And I’m gonna go way out on a limb here and guess that the level of understanding derived from all this, regarding the motives of these young men will also be terrible.
There is cause and effect here. Until we understand that and start responding to those realities, we only make future catastrophes like these more likely.
For me there is just the most disturbing disconnect between how eloquent and seemingly emotionally involved regarding the Marathon bombings Obama can be and yet has nothing to say after murdering a couple of teenagers never accused of anything in Yemen.
As the crowd chants, “Go U.S.A.!”
A little Chechnya background from Sibel Edmonds.
http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2013/04/19/usa-the-creator-sustainer-of-chechen-terrorism/#more-19602
Another ex-FBI, agent Coleen Rowley.
http://consortiumnews.com/2013/04/19/chechen-terrorists-and-the-neocons/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/08/usa.russia
I find it vile that the kid wasn’t given his Miranda rights. There will be no witnesses now to his comments in which he may say he was part of a drill – go look at the photos all over the internet of Craft personnel, Lasagna. There was a drill unless you live Disneylala.
Marzi,
I have no idea what you’re talking about. Since the only hint at substantiating any of your claims is that the best reporting on whatever it is your talking about is someone from Fox News, I tend to dismiss you. Also, tend to dismiss you because you ignored requests to stop spreading misinformation. No one lives in La La Land more than Fox News fans.
False flag 101.
Marzi said @ 7:
The two brothers are “suspects” and there is a huge amount of info to suggest they are also “villains”. As to your reference to hired security personelle, as the “Craft” people would seem to be, there is no evidence that I am aware of at this time that they either had anything to do with the bombing, nor that there was any sort of “drill” going on.
It’s remarkable to hear you say in one breath that it’s “premature” to speculate about the suspects, despite the available evidence against them, but in the next breadth make extraordinary allegations based on zero evidence whatsoever.
David Lasagna said @ 9:
Actually, I do. While I share your discomfort (hugely) with the celebration after the (apparently completely unnecessary and arguably unhelpful) killing of bin Laden, last night in Boston was a different case. The city had been locked down for an entire day, with the unprecedented instructions to “shelter in place” and bombers on the loose who were shooting people. Finally, the lockdown was lifting after the last suspect was taken alive.
Despite the horrible events of the last week in Boston, I think there was every reason to celebrate the resolution of those events — at least the short term resolution of them — last night with a most peaceful ending, in which the suspect will (hopefully) receive due process and justice can (hopefully) be served.
Boston deserved that celebration last night in my humble opinion. That’s a far cry from the resolution of the bin Laden hunt.
Marzi said @ 12:
I spoke to this already above, but will repeat it briefly here. You say it’s too early to speculate about the suspects, but have already convicted the puppetmasters of some unevidenced conspiracy in which Craft, according to your charges, played a key role. You also charge a “drill” without making any such case for it. You can argue whatever you like here. But it would be more convincing if you actually supported that argument with, ya know, evidence.
As to the lack of Miranda rights, we’ll see how long it is before he gets them. Remember, he is believed to have had a whole bunch of explosive on him. He may have the whereabouts of much more of it. He also may have information on others related to the conspiracy.
While I’ll not argue in favor of that lack of Miranda rights, I thought you’d want to know the reasons for it (at least as argued for some time, not just by Obama, but many others before him.) Also, I’ll mention that whatever admissions he offers before being read those rights, will most likely not be admissible in a court of law. So the measure is against “public safety”, as they call it, versus difficult in getting a conviction in a court of law…if they ever actually do that, of course.
Brad @16,
Until a year and a half ago I lived quite near where that celebration took place in Watertown. About 10-15 minutes away in Newton. Maybe if I’d been there I would’ve felt differently. All your points make sense.
But what I was making up last night watching it for an hour on Rachel Maddow was that it felt sorta like a joyous we-got-the-fucker kinda celebration combined with great pride in nation. These thoughts were triggered at least in part by seeing a person or two chanting,”Go U.S.A.!”
The kind of exceptionalism nationalism that is constantly displayed in this country by politicians, the media, and much of the citizenry is, in my opinion, a weird, self-indulgent sickness rooted in ignorance, fear, and denial. Its symptoms include an almost sociopathic inability to understand, or even exhibit any DESIRE to understand, that there are many, many, many people across the globe who suffer versions of the kinda shit that happened in Boston over and over again directly as a result of our policies.
If all the empathy and effort to bring criminals to justice on display so overwhelmingly this week concerning the Boston Bombers were accorded to even SOME degree to OUR victims, it would be one thing. But, as it is, Obama can murder a couple of innocent teenagers in Yemen and basically we’re fine with that. Maybe I’m misguided, but I see that sort of celebration last night as part of what I’d call our serious attitude problem.
Also, this “villain” was a kid. Yes, he and his brother did terrible, terrible things. But then what happened to them was also terrible. They ruined lives and now their lives are ruined, too. And my fear is that all of this ruination will, once again, lead to little increased understanding/awareness of our considerable part in the cause and effect aspect of this tragedy.
So with those kinds of thoughts, watching all that celebrating made me very uncomfortable.
So, the Feebs talked to the older brother and parents in 2011 because he was a possible terrorist threat, then they just walked away and claimed they weren’t monitoring him after that? Oy…
Flo,
Not sure it’s that simple. I read something to the effect that Russia asking us to check on somebody is not uncommon and that often Russian requests and assertions about people that want us to check out need to be taken with several grains of salt because they(like us) are not exactly issue-free when it comes to who they are suspicious of. And it sounds like if Chechnya’s involved it could be complicated. I have not studied Chechnya but my sense is they’d have some legitimate complaints.
“As to your reference to hired security personelle, as the “Craft” people would seem to be, there is no evidence that I am aware of at this time that they either had anything to do with the bombing, nor that there was any sort of “drill” going on.”
Brad, obviously we can parse words over whether the pics linked below are evidence of participating in a “drill” or the bombing itself (they certainly weren’t performing any first aid!), so you can go there if you want to. Be aware, though, that before and after the bombs the Craft guys were amply documented (via photos), with an advanced communications van, interacting with the FBI, and using radios or others small handheld devices. There are lots of good photos out there, though the timeline is not yet clear, from my perspective. Here’s a good place to start (also keeping in mind there are way more photos out there):
http://landdestroyer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/contractors-at-boston-marathon-stood.html
While I am not vouching for the story itself, in view of these photos I do not see how you or anybody else can dispute that Craft was active in some way shape or form before and after the explosions.
Before going down rabbit holes like this it’s important to be clear on what evidence I/you/we are willing to accept to disprove currently held notions of what happened. If anyone can’t do that, then this subject will turn into an intellectual circle jerk marked by whack-a-mole futility.
Also wanted to note the excellent points raised by Mr. Lasagna. I too was disturbed by some of the rah-rahing going on, as I find that particular emotional state is a very good tool for over-riding people’s commonsense, observation skills and overall critical thinking ability.
I’m of the frame of mind that when the feeble ones get someone on the hook that nothing good can become of the situation.
So instead of speculating I’ll just wait and see how this plays out, Dave…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBobEiXInxQ
I find it curious that a noncitizen who had been questioned about possible terrorism at the request of another country was allowed to go back there for, what was it, 6 months? and return to the US no problem. Meanwhile Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam) was put on a watch list and had been stopped from coming here to do a concert because he converted to Islam. One is clearly a potential terrorist, one is a musician and humanitarian. Ridiculous.
David Lasagna @ 16:
Fair enough. And I don’t disagree with any of those thoughts — as you similarly didn’t seem to disagree with mine. In a successful display of the rarest of all Internet comment achievements: Nuance accomplished! 🙂
LMK @ 21:
They are pictures. I’ve seen many similar over the past week. None that I’ve seen to date, absent other supporting evidence, support the very serious charge that they were participating in “the bombing itself”. Neither am I aware of any evidence to support the “drill” charge. At the moment, there is ample evidence that multiple law enforcement orgs worked, as always, on security for a major public event. Many of them in uniform, many not. The entire route, reportedly, was said to have been swept for explosives prior to the race.
None of the photos you’ve linked to (or the many others I’ve seen) are inconsistent with that premise, at the moment.
I do not know if they were or not. There appear to be several with a Craft-like logo on their person. From what little I know of Craft, they train security personnel. So, if they were “active in some way” in the security of the event, I don’t see what would be unusual about that either. (Same would be true, btw, if the organization was Blackwater. While they are known to be an horrific organization, it wouldn’t make it any more likely that they were part of a bomb plot had their been evidence that they were hired, in some fashion, for security on the event. In other words, lacking supporting material, explainable presence at an event is not evidence of an insidious “false flag” terror plot.)
You are welcome to go down any rabbit hole and/or intellectual circle jerk you like. I might, however, suggest you first stop and figure out what such a conspiracy (as is being suggested here) would be meant to do. If there is a weakness in that theory itself, then it probably makes little sense to go search for evidence to support that theory. But, of course, that’s up to you. And Alex Jones. And Glenn Beck.
That last sentence says more about you than it does me, Brad, seeing as how your comparison is laughable (unless Jones or Beck are criminal defense lawyers). I am not suggesting conspiracies; I’m suggesting an open mind toward the evidence and the inconsistencies in the evidence. I am quite prepared to believe the suspects are guilty if we are shown evidence of the suspects’ actions and intent sufficient to establish the basis for a criminal conviction, same as any other criminal case. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is also a part of a criminal conviction. Given the way the FBI has conned others gullible youths into various criminal acts, I’d expect your mind to be a bit more open on the subject.
LMK @ 26:
I am always of such a mind.
LMK & Brad –
I have to invoke the angle that it would be better to have this become what it appears to be, i.e., domestic terrorism – rather than, say, a sleeping cell with international ramifications.
Surely there will be blow back for the drone attacks, e.g.
Things that make you go hmmm…
http://whowhatwhy.com/2013/04/19/the-marathon-bombing-what-the-media-didnt-warn-you-about/
Now Mother claims FBI followed her son around since 2008!
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/23/boston-suspects-mother-says-fbi-asked-about-son-years-ago/
And then you have the guy from Mississippi who had his letters spiked with ricin at about the same time. One problem.
They can’t find any evidence at all linking him to the ricin.
Shades of Sept. 2001.
Was CISPA as important as the UnPatriot Act?
I smell a barn full of bullshit…
I’m waiting for someone in the media, mainstream and or alternative to cover the pictures of the operatives wearing backpacks that match the one used in the bombing. Operatives photographed leaving without their backpacks: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151533600457381&set=a.10150124363962381.296257.36103867380&type=1&theater When will the information in this video be addressed? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjocGidSLJw&feature=share
Mary T. Ficalora, Choosing Honor, Availpress
Brad, thank you so much. Your is the BEST article I have read on this mess. Standing Ovation.
I live in Watertown, MA. I live four blocks away from Dexter Ave, two blocks away from the Town Diner on one side of Mt. Auburn Street and Red Lentils Restaurant on the other side. This is where the police held press conferences during Friday. And four miles from Franklin Street, where second suspect was found.
During the day I wanted to go to my car and was afraid to – not because of the police, but because of the suspect. I was so glad about the lock down. Who wanted to be up and about and in total denial that there was an armed suspect in my neighborhood. Not I and not anyone else I have spoken with in Watertown, Boston, and surrounding environs.
Thanks again, Brad, for superlative reporting.