# Explosions at Boston Marathon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 15, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781 "2013-04-15T19:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 48
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/941 "2013-04-19T19:28:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The dad is pretty clueless about his sons. > [http://abcnews.go.com/US/boston-bomb-suspects-dad-tells-son-surrender-hell/story?id=18995936#.UXGZakqiG6M](http://abcnews.go.com/US/boston-bomb-suspects-dad-tells-son-surrender-hell/story?id=18995936#.UXGZakqiG6M) He’s pretty clueless about the justice system too. Even if this guy surrenders he’s not touching the green, green grass of home ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/942 "2013-04-19T19:35:14Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The dad is pretty clueless about his sons. > [http://abcnews.go.com/US/boston-bomb-suspects-dad-tells-son-surrender-hell/story?id=18995936#.UXGZakqiG6M](http://abcnews.go.com/US/boston-bomb-suspects-dad-tells-son-surrender-hell/story?id=18995936#.UXGZakqiG6M) The crazy apple didn’t fall far from the crazy tree? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/943 "2013-04-19T19:36:52Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > He’s pretty clueless about the justice system too. Even if this guy surrenders he’s not touching the green, green grass of home ever again. True, but put yourself in his position. He’s just found out that his eldest son is dead, his other son is being pursued by half of the police on the east coast, and the two of them most likely blew up a bunch of people. He’s unlikely to be thinking straight. I really hope little bro is captured alive. It will allow all of us to make a bit more sense of this. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/944 "2013-04-19T19:38:01Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > No, they were both here for years. The older one became a citizen last year on September 11th, which sounds like a detail would have been cut out of an anti-immigrant propaganda film because it’s too unbelievable. On CNN they said the younger one had been here since 2002, the older one since 2006. And it was the younger brother who recently became a U.S. citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/945 "2013-04-19T19:48:43Z")
A question that has probably been covered already; these two Tsarnaev brothers, are they just suspects, or do the police know that they are the Boston Marathon bombers? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/946 "2013-04-19T19:53:17Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > A question that has probably been covered already; these two Tsarnaev brothers, are they just suspects, or do the police know that they are the Boston Marathon bombers? Technically I believe they are “just suspects,” but considering their actions since last night, and their well-documented photographic presence at the bombing, I’d say that at the very least there is an exceptionally strong circumstantial case as of right now. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/947 "2013-04-19T19:54:27Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > A question that has probably been covered already; these two Tsarnaev brothers, are they just suspects, or do the police know that they are the Boston Marathon bombers? They told their car-jacking victim that they were the bombers, and authorities have confirmed that. I don’t know if they have anything but the photos to go from. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/948 "2013-04-19T19:54:40Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > A question that has probably been covered already; these two Tsarnaev brothers, are they just suspects, or do the police know that they are the Boston Marathon bombers? The only solid evidence I’ve heard is that they supposedly bragged about it to the carjack victim before they let him go. But the intimation is the FBI has much more video and photographic evidence than they’ve shown, specifically showing one of them place the backpack and walk away at the site of one of the blasts. And Jeffrey Bauman identified one of them as soon as he woke up after his surgery. News now breaking that all sorts of explosives (pipe bombs, fuses, possibly another pressure cooker bomb) have been found in the wake of the chase, in and around Watertown and also at Cambridge (their apartment). ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/949 "2013-04-19T19:55:21Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > A question that has probably been covered already; these two Tsarnaev brothers, are they just suspects, or do the police know that they are the Boston Marathon bombers? Well, they were fleeing the cops whilst hurling IEDs out the window and shooting back. I don’t think there’s any doubt at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/950 "2013-04-19T19:58:58Z")
CBS reported that one of the explosive devices detonated in last night’s firefight with the Tsarnaev brothers was another pressure cooker bomb. The report said the cover came off the pressure cooker just before it detonated resulting in a much smaller explosion. They said pieces of the pressure cooker were embedded in the side of a police car. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/951 "2013-04-19T20:01:07Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Now they just showed the aunt who has the same last name. I have to wonder why the uncle has a different last name. Did he change his name or shorten it for some reason? I was assuming (no basis in fact - just in my head) that he had just “Americanized” the last name - Tsarnaev to Sarni (or whatever - it was something like that in any event.) A lot of people when becoming citizens change or Americanize their ethic names I’ve been told (my husband’s family did, my parent’s families did.) But of course, I could be totally wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/952 "2013-04-19T20:02:42Z")
Why did they tell the carjacker hostage they killed the cop and planted the bombs… and then let him go? Given the fact they were lobbing fucking explosives at police, you’d think they’d be a little more ruthless than that. None of this makes any sense. It’s like two perfectly normal people just went completely off the rails, with no warning whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/953 "2013-04-19T20:03:01Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > On CNN they said the younger one had been here since 2002, the older one since 2006. And it was the younger brother who recently became a U.S. citizen. I’ve seen both, but I think everybody’s settled on the older brother being the citizen. Anyway at this point “On CNN” is about the same as “In Narnia.” > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > A question that has probably been covered already; these two Tsarnaev brothers, are they just suspects, or do the police know that they are the Boston Marathon bombers? Everybody’s sure they’re the bombers. They’re still suspects- they haven’t been arrested or convicted. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/954 "2013-04-19T20:03:40Z")
How long can they lockdown a neighborhood(s)? I get that they’re trying to keep everyone safe, especially with the bomb threat, but these people have been commanded to stay in their homes now for 14+ hours. What if this goes into tonight or tomorrow? And do we know if they know where this guy is? They cleared out the Watertown and Cambridge areas, right? Are they still locked down? ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/955 "2013-04-19T20:08:41Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Anyway at this point “On CNN” is about the same as “In Narnia.” I don’t mean to suggest that the fact that I heard it on CNN should give it any particular weight; just figured I ought to say where I heard it. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/956 "2013-04-19T20:10:18Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Why did they tell the carjacker hostage they killed the cop and planted the bombs… and then let him go? Given the fact they were lobbing fucking explosives at police, you’d think they’d be a little more ruthless than that. None of this makes any sense. It’s like two perfectly normal people just went completely off the rails, with no warning whatsoever. I am confused by this also. I just do not get why they let the carjack guy go. I mean, I’m glad they did, but whuh? ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/957 "2013-04-19T20:12:42Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > I am confused by this also. I just do not get why they let the carjack guy go. I mean, I’m glad they did, but whuh? Has carjack guy made any public statements? I’d love to hear what they talked about. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/958 "2013-04-19T20:15:11Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > Has carjack guy made any public statements? I’d love to hear what they talked about. [From NBC News:](http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/19/17823265-massive-boston-manhunt-drags-on-anxiety-grips-city?lite) > [@](#): > > The carjacking victim was released unharmed at a gas station in Cambridge, sources said. He told police the brothers said they were the marathon bombers and had just killed a campus officer. I’m sure more will be forthcoming. This came from, I imagine, the police statement. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/959 "2013-04-19T20:15:34Z")
Thanks, guys - I wasn’t sure what they had established about the two guys. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781/960 "2013-04-19T20:16:23Z")
None of this makes sense. Why rob a 7-11 and call immediate police attention to themselves. Their names weren’t known yet. They could have simply left Boston. Hop a plane back to the mother country. Lots of options better than robbing a store. I’m guessing they saw the carjack guy as a civilian? Their "war’ was with the US and police. They let the civilian go. Just a theory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781.md?page=47) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosions-at-boston-marathon/655781.md?page=49)