Boston Marathon bombing

Boston Marathon bombing
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Title	Boston Marathon bombing
Location	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Date	April 15, 2013
Time	2:49 p.m. EDT
Type	Terrorist attack, Pressure cooker bomb
Injuries	281
Perpetrators	Tamerlan Tsarnaev, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
Motive	Islamic extremism

Boston Marathon bombing. The Boston Marathon bombing was a domestic terrorist attack that occurred on April 15, 2013, when two homemade explosive devices detonated near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon. The attack, carried out by brothers Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, killed three people and injured hundreds more, many critically. The ensuing investigation and dramatic manhunt, which included a shelter-in-place order for the Greater Boston area, culminated in one suspect's death and the other's capture, leading to a federal trial and death sentence.

Background

The Boston Marathon is one of the world's oldest annual marathons, first run in 1897 and traditionally held on Patriots' Day. By 2013, it attracted over 23,000 participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators along its route from Hopkinton to Copley Square. The perpetrators, brothers Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, were ethnic Chechens who had lived in the United States for about a decade, residing in Cambridge and Dartmouth. Investigators later determined they were self-radicalized, influenced by online Islamist propaganda from groups like al-Qaeda and its affiliate al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which published instructions for building bombs in its online magazine Inspire.

Bombings

At approximately 2:49 p.m. EDT on April 15, the first bomb exploded on Boylston Street near the finish line, in front of 671 Boylston Street. Twelve seconds later, a second device detonated approximately 210 yards away at 755 Boylston Street. Both were pressure cooker bombs packed with shrapnel—nails, ball bearings, and metal scraps—designed to maximize casualties. The blasts immediately created a scene of chaos and severe trauma among the crowded spectators. The three people killed were Martin Richard, an 8-year-old boy from Dorchester; Krystle Campbell, a 29-year-old restaurant manager from Medford; and Lu Lingzi, a 23-year-old graduate student from China attending Boston University. Among the 281 injured, at least 16 people lost limbs.

Investigation and manhunt

The Federal Bureau of Investigation took the lead in the investigation, quickly designating it a terrorist attack. Agents and analysts from the Joint Terrorism Task Force pored over thousands of hours of video from surveillance cameras, media outlets, and spectators' cell phones. On April 18, the FBI released images of two suspects, soon identified as the Tsarnaev brothers. That night, the brothers shot and killed Sean Collier, an MIT police officer, in Cambridge during an attempted carjacking. A massive manhunt ensued, involving the Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Watertown Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. After a firefight in Watertown where Tamerlan Tsarnaev was mortally wounded, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev escaped, leading to an unprecedented shelter-in-place order for much of the Greater Boston area. He was found hiding in a boat in a Watertown backyard and captured on the evening of April 19.

Aftermath

The city of Boston held a powerful interfaith service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross four days after the attack, featuring remarks by President Barack Obama and then-Governor Deval Patrick. A major tribute, "Boston Strong," became a rallying cry, and a charity, The One Fund Boston, was established, raising millions for victims. The attack prompted immediate reviews of security procedures for large public events across the United States, including marathons like the New York City Marathon and sporting events like the NBA Finals. Significant physical and psychological scars remained for survivors, many of whom underwent extensive rehabilitation at hospitals like Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Legal proceedings

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged with 30 federal counts, including use of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death. His trial began in January 2015 in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The prosecution presented overwhelming evidence, including a confession note written inside the boat where he was captured. He was found guilty on all counts in April 2015. During the penalty phase, his defense argued his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev was the dominant radicalizing force. The jury sentenced him to death. His legal team subsequently filed numerous appeals, arguing pretrial publicity and the trial's location in Boston prevented a fair trial. In July 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned the death sentence, a decision later reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Legacy

The bombing left an indelible mark on Boston and the running community worldwide. The marathon itself has become a symbol of resilience, with increased participation and heightened security measures in subsequent years, overseen by agencies like the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. The event is memorialized annually, with tributes at the finish line and a moment of silence. The case continues to influence debates on homegrown terrorism, online radicalization, and the death penalty in federal terrorism cases. Survivors and families of victims have become advocates for trauma care and victims' rights, with some, like Adrianne Haslet, a professional dancer who lost a leg, becoming prominent public figures.

Category:2013 in Massachusetts Category:April 2013 events in the United States Category:Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2013 Category:Mass murder in 2013