FBI Killed Man Who Knew Tamerlan Tsarnaev: Friend

Details murky on Ibragim Todashev's overnight death in Orlando
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted May 22, 2013 7:16 AM CDT
Updated May 22, 2013 7:55 AM CDT
Man Killed by FBI Knew Tamerlan Tsarnaev: Friend
This Monday, April 15, 2013 photo provided by Bob Leonard shows bombing suspects Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, center right in black hat, and his brother, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, center left in white hat.   (AP Photo/Bob Leonard)

An odd Boston-bombing sidebar: A man was fatally shot overnight by an FBI agent in Orlando, and multiple sources say the dead man was connected to Tamerlan Tsarnaev in some way. NBC's anonymous sources say Ibragim Todashev had previously been questioned about his relationship with the suspect and had been cooperative, but was shot when he tried to attack an FBI agent. The FBI, for its part, confirms that the "shooting incident involving an FBI special agent" occurred while the agent was "conducting official duties," but has revealed little else. ABC News talks to a law enforcement official, who says the FBI agent believed he was "under threat" due to "some sort of aggressive movement," and opened fire. The unnamed official also confirms Todashev was being questioned about his relationship with Tsarnaev.

Fox 35 and other sources have talked to a named source who says he was Todashev's friend and confirms the 26-year-old knew Tsarnaev; in Khusen Taramov's telling, Todashev formerly lived in Boston and, as an MMA figher, crossed paths with Tsarnaev, who boxed. He says both he and Todashev were questioned by the FBI (and tells WKMG the FBI had been following Todashev), but insists neither of them was involved in the bombings. "The FBI kept asking, 'What's the connection?' But there is no connection," Taramov says. He adds that Todashev was planning to return to his native Chechnya, but decided to stay in the US because the FBI told him to. (More Ibragim Todashev stories.)

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