Manhunt Over: Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Captured
A massive manhunt that spanned several Boston communities has come to an end with Boston police announcing that 19-year-old Dzokhar Tsarnaev, the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, has been captured.
"Tonight our nation is in debt to the people of Boston and of Massachusetts," President Barack Obama said following Tsarnaev's arrest.
The manhunt began with the fatal shooting of an MIT officer on Thursday night and prompted widespread lockdowns in Boston, Cambridge and Watertown through Friday evening.
Police searched throughout the night for Dzokhar Tsarnaev, who they said was discovered bloodied and hiding in a boat outside a Watertown home by a neighbor. Tsarnaev was taken into police custody Friday night amid applause and cheering by law enforcement officials and Watertown residents.
The Boston Police Department tweeted at 7:45 p.m.: "Suspect in custody. Officers sweeping the area. Stand by for further info." The department then tweeted again, at 7:58, "CAPTURED!!! The hunt is over. The search is done. The terror is over. And justice has won. Suspect in custody."
At a press conference held in Watertown following Dzokhar Tsarnaev's arrest, Massachusetts State Police spokesperson Col. Timothy Alben said "We're so grateful to bring justice and closure to this case. We're exhausted, folks, but we have a victory here tonight."
In the same news conference, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said, "It's a night where I think we're all going to rest easy."
Police surrounded the Boston suburb of Watertown Thursday night after the two alleged suspects in the bombing engaged officers with gunfire and explosives in a residential neighborhood. Police said Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who they believe was the man wearing a black hat in marathon surveillance photos released by the FBI, was killed in the exchange. His brother went on to elude police until Friday until his capture.
"We will determine how this happened," Obama said. "We will investigate any associations that these terrorists may have had. One thing we do know is that whatever hateful agenda drove these men to such heinous acts will not - cannot - prevail."
"This has been a tough week. But we have seen the character of our country once more."