Why Boston Carjack Victim Survived: He's Not American

Police report reveals events before police showdown
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 22, 2013 11:30 AM CDT
Why Boston Carjack Victim Survived: He's Not American
Watertown Police officer Brandon O'Neill holds a flag during a vigil for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Watertown, Mass.   (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

After hijacking a car, the Boston bombing suspects chose not to kill its driver—because he's not an American, he told police. Pete Williams of NBC reported the news, picked up by Politico; it matches a police report obtained by the Wall Street Journal. That report alleges the Tsarnaev brothers hijacked the Mercedes SUV at gunpoint about 40 minutes after killing an MIT police officer.

One of them directed the driver to head to Watertown while the other brother followed in a Honda. Upon arriving there, they told the man to move to the passenger seat, transferred luggage into the car, then all set off in the SUV. They "declared to (the victim) that they were the Boston Marathon bombers and would not kill him because he wasn't American," the report says. The victim managed to escape when the brothers stopped for snacks. (More Boston stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X