Still nearly 24 hours after the bombs ripped through the Boston Marathon little is known about who committed these heinous acts. But numerous reports agreed that law enforcement had a “person of interest.”
But here is what we know so far about this “person of interest”…
1. The Man is a Saudi National
RT @bostonglobe: BREAKING NEWS: Authorities questioning person of interest in Marathon bombings at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
— Matthew Keys (@TheMatthewKeys) April 15, 2013
It what was first reported by the New York Post, Law Enforcement were questioning someone, who was originally referred to as a “suspect”, but was then downgraded to “person of interest.” He is a 20-year-old Saudi national, who is in the US on a student visa.
It was reported that he was being treated at a Boston hospital for shrapnel in his leg as well as burns. Boston police commissioner Edward Davis told reporters that many of his officers were conducting interviews with victims in hospitals across the city.
He’s the only ‘person of interest’ but police have footage of a man bringing several backpacks to the scene.
The Saudi national is now considered a victim and not a suspect.
2. Police Searched his Home
Late Monday night, Boston police raided the home of the Saudi national at the Water’s Edge Condo Complex in Revere, Massachusetts. It’s believed the Saudi national completely co-operated with authorities and allowed them to search his property.
The Revere Fire Department confirmed this on their Facebook page:
Deputy Chief, Engine 5, Ladder 1, Cataldo Paramedics & Chief were called in for Operational standby for State Police Bomb Techs for search of a “person of interest ” apartment at 364 Ocean Ave. FBI, ATF, ICE, Boston PD, Revere PD as well as MSP detectives and Bomb Techs from Boston PD and State.
3. Boston Police Put Out an APB
According to ABC Boston, police were searching:
…for a darker skinned or black male with a black backpack and black sweatshirt, possibly foreign national from the accent of the individual
Police had been keen to stress throughout the day that there was no suspect.
4. A Former FBI Director Shed Some Light on the Saudi Man
Photo via New York Post.
Former FBI director John Miller told CBS News:
There is an individual in custody … he is not free to go.
He is a Saudi national who was near the scene of the blast. When the blast happened he began to run. Now, in context, a lot of people began to run. A civilian who thought he was acting suspiciously chased him down and tackled him and then turned him over to Boston police, saying, I saw this guy hanging around over there acting suspiciously. And then he ran. That may mean a lot, it may mean nothing at all.
5. The Man-on-Roof
It’s known that the FBI are investigating the online buzz that was created by the mysterious “man-on-roof” photo which circulated around social media in the aftermath of the bombing. According to ABC News the photo:
…did not raise any undue suspicion.