alleged watertown resident's report on the lockdown:

[HiPointDem]

Boston Scrod says:
April 20, 2013 at 3:42 am

As a long time resident of Watertown, I can report with complete candor that Friday was a very unusual day. My primary impression is that in the fog of war a great deal is missed. And with all respect to those police and military personnel who spent yesterday in Watertown, hunting down one 19 year old was a relative walk in the park compared to what American soldiers face every day in their overseas assignments. And yet the confusion appears to have been overwhelming. As of the time I write this, I do not know all the facts so I apologize if anything I am about to say is demonstrably wrong.

First. The younger suspect managed to escape from the shoot out that occurred on Dexter Ave. early Friday morning. Whatever the mitigating facts turn out to be, it does appear certain that a substantial number of police officers were on the scene and that one of the two suspects was able to get away undetected. It is hard not to believe that one or more officers may have dropped the ball in letting this happen.

Second. Relatively early on Friday morning one of our neighbors was informed by police enforcing the lock down in our neighborhood that the Cambridge 7/11 was robbed by someone other than the terrorist suspects and that it was the search for that robber (who we were told was believed to have killed the MIT police officer) that caused the terrorist suspects to flee (in the mistaken belief that they were being pursued). When I first relayed this report to a colleague, he checked it with someone who is apparently well known as a talking head and as a respected expert on counter-terrorism issues. At the time I was told this theory was complete rubbish. Later, apparently, this same source told my friend that the two events were in fact not directly related. The implication is that the high level experts were completely clueless to the reality on the ground.

Third. Our neighborhood was on lock down the entire day until 6:00 p.m. Police cars were stationed at nearby intersections in our quiet residential area and a single helicopter circled overhead for several hours. While taking an unauthorized walk around my block in mid-afternoon (I was going completely stir crazy), I came upon several dozen military-like personnel in black uniforms with machine guns and at least one armored personnel carrier, all of whom were congregated less than 150 feet from my home. They then went door to door asking each homeowner if he wanted his house to be searched. This is not an image I will not soon forget. The men who came to our door were exceedingly polite and well mannered. I had already searched our home and garage so we declined their offer to search our property. But as a neighbor observed, if an unseen member of our family had been being held at gunpoint, would they have understood this when we declined their offer to search our home? And they certainly made no effort to search the yards in our neighborhood which have many large, full and mature shrubs that could easily hide a man. (There was one dog that I saw but he was only deployed in the front yard.)

Fourth. The Franklin Street address where the suspect was finally apprehended was substantially closer to the site of the early morning shootout on Friday than our home was but was apparently outside the zone of specific focus by the some 10,000 law enforcement personnel who descended on Watertown yesterday. I wonder greatly how, despite this overwhelming police presence, it took a citizen report to identify the location of the sole terrorist suspect. This is particularly significant given the fact that it was reported that there was blood visible on the boat where the terrorist was finally found.

Fifth. Who killed the MIT police officer? It remains my understanding that it was probably not the terrorists. And yet, if this understanding is correct, the news media have said nothing that I have seen about the ongoing hunt for a cold blooded cop killer.

Beyond these disturbing images and facts, the overwhelming impression that I am left with is of an outsized inadequately coordinated response. It also appears that a great deal of yesterday’s events hinged on two things which the billions of dollars spent of para-military anti-terrorist armaments have not funded: Good luck and vigilant citizens. I worry greatly that this kind of massive and overwhelming military response could, in a different situation with more savvy terrorists, actually endanger the lives of citizens it is designed to protect.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/04/boston-bombing-open-thread.html#comment-1210587

[cantbeserious]

1. Yes - The Creeping Totalitarianism Of The Right Wing Made Manifest In Suburbia

eom

[Nuclear Unicorn]

25. It's a liberal town in a blue state during the administration of a Democratic President

Though I'm curious as to what should be the response to fugitives that coldly set bombs next to children, kill cops, engage in running gun battles with police, run over their own siblings, throw bombs, disappear into the suburban thicket and may or may not be part of a larger but unknown group.

What should the authorities have done differently?

[cantbeserious]

27. I Think It Is More About What The Citizens Are Willingly Giving Up

eom

[treestar]

2. What a jerk

I'd like to know how he performed on his job in any unusual circumstances.

[Logical]

21. LOL, great analysis. Very detailed! Emotional? n-t

[trumad]

3. Another long winded letter by the dumbass douchebag club.

[djean111]

4. So some here are very upset that the police made unwarranted searches.

But someone is upset because the police did not make an unwarranted thorough search - because a member of their family could have been being held at gunpoint. (This is the scenario I was thinking about).
I see from all over the internet - Monday morning quarterbacking by keyboard has begun. From Congress down to the Freepers. Although sometimes there is scant difference.

I am still struck by the differing responses to Americans being killed on American soil by terrorists, and Americans being killed on American soil by other Americans. One act brings down the wrath of a nation, the other is regarded as an unavoidable privilege of being American or something like that - the privilege of being shot at any time on purpose or accidentally.

[MADem]

5. Guess this guy doesn't have a television set. His facts are out of order.

It's not like every network didn't cover this story for days--he had plenty of opportunity to "get the bubble."

And how interesting that the "jack booted thugs" didn't haul him out of his house and demand that they search it, like a few other yarn-spinners have been insisting was the case?

Some folks like to shit stir.

[HiPointDem]

6. he didn't say anything about jack-booted thugs or bubbles, so not sure what you're talking about.

[MADem]

8. I am referring to the general tone on the board from people who aren't from

the Commonwealth, insisting that liberties were abrogated when that wasn't the truth. Look around--there are a number of threads on this line.

[HiPointDem]

10. the poster in the op represents himself as a watertown resident. i have no way of knowing

whether its true, but the relatively businesslike tone of the post and idiosyncratic details made me believe it probably was.

i thought it might be of interest, just as you thought the eldest suspect's amazon wish list might be.

[MADem]

14. He should turn on his tv. Suggesting that some mysterious other killed that MIT cop

tells me he wasn't paying attention.

That was covered extensively during our "day off" on every channel, network and cable.

Even the Grey Lady has it: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/us/boston-marathon-bombings.html?pagewanted=all

The discovery of Mr. Tsarnaev came just over 26 hours after the F.B.I. circulated pictures of him and his brother and called them suspects in Monday’s bombings, which killed three people and wounded more than 170. Events unfolded quickly — and lethally — after that. Law enforcement officials said that within hours of the pictures’ release, the two shot and killed a campus police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, carjacked a sport utility vehicle, and led police on a chase, tossing several pipe bombs from their vehicle.

It's not a "fog of war" thing--they know who murdered that young officer. Just like they know who wounded the transit cop, too.

[HiPointDem]

15. as he's reporting what his neighbor was told by *local police,* i'm not sure why the nyt would be

better informed.

Relatively early on Friday morning one of our neighbors was informed by police enforcing the lock down in our neighborhood that the Cambridge 7/11 was robbed by someone other than the terrorist suspects and that it was the search for that robber (who we were told was believed to have killed the MIT police officer) that caused the terrorist suspects to flee (in the mistaken belief that they were being pursued). When I first relayed this report to a colleague, he checked it with someone who is apparently well known as a talking head and as a respected expert on counter-terrorism issues. At the time I was told this theory was complete rubbish. Later, apparently, this same source told my friend that the two events were in fact not directly related. The implication is that the high level experts were completely clueless to the reality on the ground.

[MADem]

16. It's third hand crap--and, as others have pointed out, it sounds like crap.

He's shit-stirring, while trying to pretend he has an "academic" POV. All he'd have to do is turn on his television, and the police chief of Boston, the state police public relations flack, the mayors of Watertown and Boston, and Governor Deval Patrick would give him detailed information that would solve his "confusion."

The two bombers carjacked and kidnapped an individual and used their ATM card, and that person escaped, leaving a cellphone in the car that could be traced by GPS tracking. That's likely what lit the fuse under their asses and that IS what allowed the police to find them so quickly.

I'm guessing they've dug the bullet out of that dead cop's skull by now. They've matched it to a weapon, too, I'm sure.

LE has no motive or reason to lie about something like that.

TIME has the report, the only question that remains is who the kidnapped victim was--the news reported (contemporaneously with the news of the point-blank murder of the MIT cop) that it may be a woman, and that was why they didn't kill the person, but the person doesn't want to come forward, at least not now, so there's the only real "mystery" left to solve: http://swampland.time.com/2013/04/21/give-thanks-for-dumb-terrorists/

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. But even when he wrote that, after the capture, he got it wrong

"Fifth. Who killed the MIT police officer? It remains my understanding that it was probably not the terrorists."

And his understanding was wrong. It was repeatedly reported through Friday that the brothers had killed the MIT policeman. And is still reported; they say they have it on video.

Members of the public do get things wrong; it just doesn't seem worth bringing their comments here as an OP.

[onenote]

7. The phrase "complete rubbish" used by the author seems appropriate to describe

what he/she wrote.

And the fact that some anonymous "talking head" doesn't know all the facts on the ground, or that its this clown's "understanding" (and apparently no one else's) that the MIT officer "probably" wasn't shot by the Tsarnaev's only reinforces my conclusion.

[HiPointDem]

11. actually, that wasn't the first place that there was confusion about the mit killing.

EDIT 11:26 EST: They have a photo of the alleged suspect.
EDIT 11:27 EST: Heard a Black Male in all black clothing.
EDIT 11:32 EST: NBC just reported the shots on TV. No new info there.
EDIT 11:33 EST: There was a robbery at a near by 7-11 (Dark Skin White Male 5'11' 200lbs, black top). Could be related?
EDIT 11:40 EST: Woman reported on the ground screaming/crying. Male that was with her just walked away. [Unrelated, thanks /u/dontgotmilk]
EDIT 11:42 EST: Image from the scene. Warning blood.
EDIT 11:44 EST: Possible witness.
EDIT 11:47 EST: /u/philsmith24457 points out they mentioned a mini excavator [Unrelated]
EDIT 11:59 EST: Reportedly a group of Black males. 1 in a gray hoodie, in his early 20's, heavy set. 2 in black hoodies. Firearms present. [Unrelated].
EDIT 12:04 EST: from /u/TheFightingFarsi : NBC Connecticut reporting MIT Officer has died. (grain of salt till for now)
EDIT 12:07 EST: MIT updated their emergency site with news. Police are searching the campus, stay indoors.
EDIT 12:12 EST: Removed links to emergency site to prevent Reddit DDoS. Thanks /u/Some-Internet-Guy
EDIT 12:13 EST: Boston Globe Editor confirms MIT officer death.
EDIT 12:16 EST: /u/TheFightingFarsi has more info on the MIT officer.
EDIT 12:17 EST: [Unrelated] Black male with grey hoodie put his firearm in the front pouch. Please stay inside tonight.
EDIT 12:23 EST: It seems like the MIT officer was the only one involved as of right now. No students have been reported harmed. Seems like a case of wrong place, wrong time. Will continue updating if any new information comes up.
EDIT 12:26 EST: Dark Skin White Male from 11:33 was mentioned. He has a gotee.
EDIT 12:28 EST: Black Mercedes SUV car-jacked in the last 30 minutes. 2 Middel-Eastern males with firearms. PLEASE don't be related to the bombings Q.Q License Plage - 137 NZ1
EDIT 12:30 EST: More images from MIT.
EDIT 12:32 EST: The filled up with gas, payed cash. Car took off to Harvard Square.

http://rapgenius.com/Boston-police-department-police-scanner-chatter-april-19-2013-lyrics


Reddit live-blogged the feed from the Boston Police Department’s police scanner as the Boston Marathon bombings investigation and subsequent shootings took place on April 19, 2013. This is an important excerpt — the full transcript can be read on Reddit

Here's a breakdown of how events have unfolded:

Thursday, 5 p.m.: The FBI releases photos and videos of two suspects investigators believe are behind Monday's Boston Marathon bombing.

Thursday, around 10 p.m.: Robbery takes place at at 7/11 convenience store in Cambridge, near the MIT campus.

Thursday, 10:20 p.m.: An MIT campus police officer was found shot in his vehicle in the area of Vassar and Main Streets. According to authorities, the officer was found with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and pronounced dead.

Moments 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.

Authorities say the suspects threw explosives from the car as police followed it into Watertown. The suspects and police exchanged gunfire, and one of the suspects was critically injured.

http://www.ksbw.com/Timeline-Gunfire-explosions-in-pursuit-of-bombing-suspects-officer-killed/-/1824/19813914/-/p8q0ah/-/index.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. OK, please point out the confusion (nt)

[cali]

9. well, that was a waste of time. what a piece of crap.

[jakeXT]

12. The point of the search is interesting, because I read it was 100-200 yds outside of the search area

The boat where Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was hiding during Friday's massive manhunt was between 100 and 200 yards outside of the search area in Watertown,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022729236

I assumed it was outside of this units search area, but is it possible that no one searched there?

[Raven]

13. "As of the time I write this, I do not know all the facts..."

Doesn't that say it all?

[randome]

19. 'Lockdown', huh? Jesus Christ.

[Justice]

20. Why do people apologize and then slam you? Why apologize when you are not really sorry?

How about just ask the questions and not speculate.

The only point here that has any merit is the notion that perhaps they didn't draw the search area to include where the boat was. They obviously felt the suspect didn't head that way - they had reasons for the perimeter they set up.

The clarification they issued was that the terrorists did not rob the 7/11 - they were seen on tape at the store when the police were investigating the robbery.

Also, the notion the guy escaped from the gun battle. One guy did not escape. The other guy escaped in a car, as he drove over his brother. I don't see how that is that hard to believe.

[HiPointDem]

29. not sure who you're addressing those points to. i posted what someone who says he's from

watertown wrote.

[ananda]

22. As to number 1.

From everything I've read, the officers had to keep a clearance from the suspects
because of the bombs. The shooting was pretty wild, and I suppose the police
force would be well advised to provide more and better training of officers for
times like these... except this might be a one-of. Who knows.

[JoePhilly]

24. They were also trying to save the life of one of the officiers who had been shot.

[JoePhilly]

23. As the details are coming out, this "analysis" becomes more and more ridiculous.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

28. It seems clear the author is saying that the searches were not mandatory

The gouge on that seems to be all over the place on that. Be interesting to see what was actually said and done.

One DUer has postulated that different groups of cops took different approaches. Sound to be about the best explanation for what we are hearing.

[DevonRex]

30. 1. what an asshole. 2. the tsarnaevs killed the MIT officer. 3. BLINK FRANTICALLY

and they will. 4. It was fucking DARK in the middle of the fucking night, you jackass. What, did you want Luminol sprayed all over the neighborhood? 5. The Tsarnaevs killed the MIT officer. See #2 oh clueless one.

All curse words are directed to the idiot who wrote the questions, not HighPointDem.