boston bombing

Police Video Highlights Two Very Different Ends in Tsarnaev Brothers’ Flight

When police finally cornered Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in a trailered boat on Friday evening, it was never a foregone conclusion that he would survive. After all, his brother Tamerlan had been killed in the previous night’s police chase. But on Sunday, the stark differences between the ends of their two flights became clear as the Massachusetts State Police released video showing their careful approach to Dzokhar’s boat, and Watertown Police Chief Ed Deveau described to the Boston Globe how police were taking Tamerlan into custody when his brother pointed a stolen car at them and accelerated, running over his brother and killing him.

The video follows still photos police released showing the infrared helicopter pictures of Dzokhar in the boat, and the officers using a mechanical arm to pull back the tarp covering. The New York Times reports: “An F.B.I. hostage negotiator, who kept his distance, communicating from the second floor of the nearby home, began talking to Mr. Tsarnaev and eventually convinced him to surrender, according to the Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau.” The negotiator reportedly talked for about 25 minutes.

As we already know, Tamerlan did not survive his final flight from cops. Word had leaked out as early as Friday that Dzokhar had run him over. Deveau confirmed that to the Globe on Sunday, and described the chaotic scene, in which police were trying to subdue Tamerlan:

After several minutes, the elder brother, Tamerlan, walked toward the officers, firing his gun until he appeared to run out of bullets, Deveau said. Officers tackled him and were trying to get handcuffs on him, when the stolen SUV came roaring at them, the younger brother at the wheel. The officers scattered and the SUV plowed over Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was dragged briefly under the car, he said.

Dzhokar Tsarnaev abandoned the SUV almost immediately on a nearby street and fled on foot, triggering an all-day manhunt.

The boat into which Dzhokhar would crawl was just outside the perimeter police set up to look for him. It wasn’t until authorities lifted a stay-at-home order that the resident of the house where the boat was being stored walked outside, saw blood on the side of the boat, and investigated to find a bloodied suspect inside. He called 911, and the police took over from there.

Two Very Different Ends for Tsarnaev Brothers