Sources: Possible suspects sought in Boston blasts
A photo from witness Ben Thorndike shows a site near one of the Boston bombings, shortly after the blast on Monday.
April 17th, 2013
10:31 PM ET

Sources: Possible suspects sought in Boston blasts

  • After law enforcement sources told CNN that an arrest was made in Boston Marathon bombings, two senior administration officials and another federal official told CNN contributor Fran Townsend that no arrest happened.
  • The bombs, which exploded 12 seconds apart near Boston Marathon finish line Monday, killed three people and wounded 178.
  • Full story here; also, see CNN affiliates WBZ; WCVB; WHDH

[Updated, 10:30 p.m. ET] Two men seen in images near the finish line of Monday's Boston Marathon - moments before two bombs there exploded - are of "high interest" and are considered "possible suspects," a law enforcement official said.

A circular sent out Wednesday by authorities indicated the attached photos, showing the two men, were being sent around "in an attempt to identify the individuals."The official said the men were of interest because of where they were at a particular time and what they were carrying. One of the men is seen carrying a black backpack.

The source said that authorities had not yet identified the two men by name and that the photographs were not being released to the public for fear of impeding the investigation.

Updated at 9:27 p.m. ET] As of Wednesday night, Boston-area hospitals had released 112 of the 178 treated for injuries sustained in the marathon attack. Thirteen patients are in critical condition, the same number as was reported earlier in the day.

[Updated at 7:32 p.m. ET] The FBI has cancelled its Wednesday news briefing, the Boston police announced. Minutes earlier, police had said the federal agency would make a "brief statement" on the marathon case.

[Updated at 6:09 p.m. ET] "Every hour we're closer" to finding  the person or people responsible for Monday's twin bomb blasts at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday.

[Updated at 5:45 p.m. ET] As of late Wednesday afternoon, Boston-area hospitals had released at least 103 of the 178 people treated for injuries sustained in Monday's attack near the Boston Marathon's finish line, according to a CNN tally.

Thirteen of those still hospitalized remain in critical condition, hospital officials said.

[Updated at 4:40 p.m. ET] A news conference about the Boston Marathon bombings that had been scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. has been postponed.

[Updated at 4:08 p.m. ET] Authorities investigating this week's attack want to question a man who was seen, on video, wearing a white baseball cap as a possible suspect in the case, two official sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

One of the sources said the man had the hat on backwards and was wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and a black jacket. The second source said that investigators have not identified this person.

[Updated at 2:58 p.m. ET] The FBI said in a statement Wednesday that no arrest has been made, "contrary to widespread reporting," tied to Monday's Boston Marathon attack.

Before that, following statements from the Justice Department and the Boston police that no arrest has been made, CNN's John King said this:

A federal law enforcement source told him that there has been "significant progress but no arrest." A Boston law enforcement said "we got him," but didn't clarify whether that means authorities have identified a suspect or arrested one.

Some federal sources say that even to say the suspect has been identified goes too far, but several sources in Boston say they have a clear identification.

[Updated at 2:48 p.m. ET] There have been no arrests in the Boston Marathon bombing investigation, according to Boston police and the Justice Department.

[Updated at 2:33 p.m. ET] There is conflicting information as to whether someone has been arrested in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings.

A federal law enforcement source told CNN's Fran Townsend that someone was arrested. But two senior administration officials and another federal official then told Townsend that there had been a misunderstanding among officials and that no one has been arrested.

[Updated at 2:23 p.m. ET] As news of an arrest spreads, a crowd has been gathering outside a federal courthouse in Boston.

[Updated at 2:10 p.m. ET] The last we heard, a law enforcement news briefing in the bombings case was scheduled for 5 p.m. ET today. We'll see if that holds.

Earlier today, CNN's John King reported that authorities had identified a suspect based on an analysis of video from a Lord & Taylor department store near the site of the second blast, and that video from a Boston TV station also helped. King cited a source who was briefed on the investigation.

[Updated at 2 p.m. ET] The arrest is based on two videos showing images of the suspect, a federal law enforcement source told CNN contributor Fran Townsend.

[Updated at 1:46 p.m.] An arrest has been made in connection with Monday's Boston Marathon bombings, sources tell CNN's John King and CNN contributor Fran Townsend. King's source is with Boston law enforcement, he said; Townsend's source is with federal law enforcement.

[Updated at 1:44 p.m.] While we wait for more information about the possible suspect, some recent information to pass on about one of the three people who were killed in Monday's blasts: Boston University said Lingzi Lu, a graduate student in mathematics and statistics, was killed.

She and two friends were watching the race near the finish line when the blasts erupted, BU Today reported. The second student was in stable condition at Boston Medical Center; the third student was not hurt, it said.

The university said that it had the family's permission to identify Lingzi Lu.

[Posted at 1:40 p.m.] Authorities may have had a breakthrough in the investigation of Monday's Boston Marathon bombings. Investigators believe they have identified a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, a source who has been briefed on the investigation told CNN's John King exclusively.

The breakthrough came from analysis of video from a department store near the site of the second explosion. Video from a Boston television station also contributed to the progress, said the source, who declined to be more specific but called it a significant development.

Earlier, a federal law enforcement source with firsthand knowledge of the investigation told CNN that a lid to a pressure cooker thought to have been used in the bombings had been found on a roof of a building near the scene.


Filed under: Boston • Crime • Massachusetts
soundoff (225 Responses)
  1. Tommy

    I hope this guys name or face never goes all over the news. Too much spectacular coverage encourages psychos like this. An arrest has been made and this dude should be tried and then tortured. If it was my kid he did this to I'd eat him alive.

    April 17, 2013 at 1:54 pm | Report abuse |
    • mike

      Exactly what I've been saying for months! Like the guy running on the football field years ago, stop showing the person. Don't reward their action!

      April 17, 2013 at 2:03 pm | Report abuse |
    • B Hope

      it wouldn't if he or she was slowly tortured to death in public

      April 17, 2013 at 2:08 pm | Report abuse |
    • B

      I totally agree!!!!!! Please do not make this person famous!

      April 17, 2013 at 2:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • sp

      Calling for torture makes you no better than a terrorist wannabe. I understand it's a time of great emotion, but America is better than torturing it's criminals like some third world dictatorship.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mary

      I feel that his name and face doesn't need to be seen in newspapers or on the news so he can't get excited. People just want to feel famous by hurting others the more the names are mentioned and the pictures of them are shown the more happier the jerks feel.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • Blue Dog

      Why is John King so bad? A magic eight ball seems more accurate on the matter.

      April 19, 2013 at 7:40 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Helena Tarnovetski

    There were 3 people killed, you only posted 1......

    April 17, 2013 at 1:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Maren Marx

      That's because the news here is that that "1" person's family has made her name public...

      April 17, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
    • Zen

      That was the only person whose family had given permission to release their name...that's why only one is posted...

      April 17, 2013 at 2:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • Kris

      But, all three names are mentioned on CNN's home page

      April 17, 2013 at 2:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • jarna

      The names of the other 2 were already known the past two days. An 8yo boy and a 29yo woman. Linghzi's name had been withheld by the family because the grandparents in China weren't told yet.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:25 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Dave

    Fry him on the spot

    April 17, 2013 at 1:59 pm | Report abuse |
    • melody everett

      i agree woman or man do it yhe old way HANGING HIGH!!!!!!!!!

      April 17, 2013 at 5:27 pm | Report abuse |
  4. jojol

    could be a woman

    April 17, 2013 at 2:01 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Kate

    Now what kind of Lawyer is going to stand there and defend this ( what do I call him? )

    April 17, 2013 at 2:05 pm | Report abuse |
    • MisterP

      A good one. That's what civilized societies do. They guarantee the rights of everyone to get a fair trial. Defense lawyers are the heart of our justice system.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
    • ambassgray

      Johnny Cochran

      April 17, 2013 at 2:13 pm | Report abuse |
  6. god

    Fry her

    April 17, 2013 at 2:09 pm | Report abuse |
  7. eliot

    oh, by the way, no death penalty in Massechusetts.

    April 17, 2013 at 2:10 pm | Report abuse |
    • aoh

      federal crime.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm | Report abuse |
    • Heidi Walker

      BUT this is a federal crime.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:17 pm | Report abuse |
  8. @BlackCommaEric

    Not sure how you know what the person looks like yet considering no details have been released.

    April 17, 2013 at 2:11 pm | Report abuse |
  9. saywhat

    Good news. Hope they got the right perp.
    Swift punishment no prolonged court dramatics.

    April 17, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
  10. joel

    Like you'll hate it if it isn't a brown person or a Muslim?

    April 17, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
    • jim

      Well I hate you regardless of your color

      April 17, 2013 at 4:01 pm | Report abuse |
  11. bpayne

    Execution would be far too merciful. Assuming he's definitively guilty, dismember all four limbs an inch at a time cauterizing the wounds in between slices.

    April 17, 2013 at 2:14 pm | Report abuse |
    • Marie-EvE

      Don't be as barbaric as the perpetrators.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:35 pm | Report abuse |
    • melody everett

      i agree 100% !!!!!!!

      April 17, 2013 at 5:23 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Cra Ackers

    No arrest

    April 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm | Report abuse |
  13. michael roles

    Well i hope that Boston handles this bomber like we did Timothy Mcveigh here in Oklahoma.The death penalty should apply nationwide when it comes to a cowardly terrorist.

    April 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm | Report abuse |
    • sp

      It's a federal crime so yes, it does.

      April 17, 2013 at 2:20 pm | Report abuse |
  14. anadrol1

    "Now what kind of Lawyer is going to stand there and defend this"

    Everybody has the right to a fair trial and competent lawyer, you should be happy you live in a country who's justice system is based on innocent until proven guilty.

    April 17, 2013 at 2:16 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Cra Ackers

    OK sucks

    April 17, 2013 at 2:17 pm | Report abuse |
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