What sounds like the plot to an over the top action film has become a dangerous reality for one American city. Strange twists and bizarre characters have emerged in the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy leaving many wondering not only who, but why.
After the initial shock of the incident began to decrease, the man hunt for the suspects began. On Thursday April 19th, the alleged suspects shot and killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer, Sean A. Collier. Then they carjacked a vehicle and eventually partook in a lethal gun fight between officials in Watertown, a Boston suburb. The shootout left one suspect, older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev gravely injured. He was transported to a local hospital where he was soon pronounced dead. However, younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was able to escape the bloody scene. Unsure of what the suspect was capable of, the city of Boston and the surrounding areas were all but shut down on Friday, April 20 until he was captured hiding in a Watertown resident’s covered boat around 7 p.m. that evening. Another round of gunfire began and continued until the suspect eventually surrendered at approximately 8:45 p.m. (nytimes.com) He was immediately transported to a Boston hospital where he has improved from serious to fair condition.
The aftermath of this incident has left many people wondering why these men committed such unspeakable acts. According to the Toronto Star, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has told authorities him and his brother’s motivation was due to hardcore Islamist views about U.S. troops warring in the Middle East; however there was no direct connection between the pair to any overseas radical groups. As of now, this is the clearest motive police have been able to extract from the suspect about the bombing. While more will be revealed in the forthcoming days, for now all the American people can do is wait for more information. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was officially charged on Monday and could potentially receive the death penalty if convicted.
Source: (thestar.com)