Notice: April 18, 2013, 2:45 p.m. EDT
Media Advisory: Press Briefing
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office Richard DesLauriers, United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz, and FBI JTTF law enforcement partners will hold a press briefing today, April 18, regarding the Boston Marathon investigation, at 5:00 p.m. at The Sheraton Hotel, 39 Dalton Street, Third Floor, Commonwealth Ballroom, Boston. Valid media credentials are required for admittance. Press release
Whether you're planning a large or small event, or moving equipment, or coordinating research or product development, or investigating a crime, it's all a matter of
logistics.
With regard to the Boston Marathon bombing, authorities need to coordinate their investigation among a wide variety of organizations, people, places and services. It's not an easy job. And while
there's been progress, you can still help. Any and all of you.
If you have visual images, video, and/or details regarding the explosions along the Boston Marathon route and elsewhere, e-mail them to boston@ic.fbi.gov. No piece of information or detail is too small.
You can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), prompt #3, with information.
Here are some general thoughts:
- If you were there, or if you were walking through the area where the attacks occurred - even if it was an hour or three before the explosion - you could be helpful. Even if you were there for hours, and during, the incident and took pictures along with all your friends, don't hold back submitting any for analysis. Criminal investigators often take pictures of the same scene from multiple angles because differences in light, shadows, perspective and even reflections change as the angle changes, sometimes revealing information or evidence that was overlooked before.[more]
- If you weren't "there" but heard or saw anything that made you go "hmmmm" with regard to the marathon prior to the incident - particularly if whatever you heard or saw came immediately to mind once the incident occurred - then you can help.
- Above all, please be sure that you source anything you hear about the investigation or findings very carefully - "loose lips sinks ships" was a phrase from WWII, but it applies here. Inaccurate reports and misinformation can have serious unintended consequences.
Two days after the outrage, an element of confusion entered the hunt for the perpetrator of one of the worst attacks on American soil, at least in public. The day was characterised by swirling media speculation, first of a positive identification of a suspect, then of an imminent arrest, and finally of an actual arrest, which was swiftly proven to be wrong.
Denying there had been an arrest, the FBI released a statement warning the media against the "unintended consequences" of inaccurate reporting.
Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick cautioned against expecting an early conclusion to the investigation. "They are making progress, but it's going to take time," he said. "It's going to be slow; it's going to be methodical."
Hop over the orange pastry for some more.
First and foremost - I am not trained in criminal investigation or the specialized elements drawn upon from forensics or logistics and applied to criminal investigation.
I do have a background in researching information, stories and evidence; working with teams of researchers, processing the information and providing disaster prevention and recovery for businesses & their related facilities.
What I'm including here is a compilation of thoughts and questions that I think might help people understand some of the scope that potentially faces investigators as they attempt to nail down evidence before it can disappear or be contaminated.
Some of the initial questions investigators are likely to be asking (
again, this is my speculation!):
- Was this pre-meditated or "ad-hoc"?
My initial thought is "premeditated" - I would find it difficult to believe that anyone could toss together a couple of bombs and hide 'em as a spur of the moment impulse decision.
- How long was this in the planning stages?
I'd suspect a minimum of at least a week; probably three, to account for obtaining items needed if not in hand, or needing to do any site surveys.
- How many people were involved in the planning & execution of the attack?
Currently, news media and officials only appear to talk of a single suspect. I would think it's possible, but more likely a minimum of two (judging partly on the need to risk placing both devices, and partly on reports that the bombs might not have shared the same design). In terms of people who might've known something was up, even if they weren't involved directly in planning or execution but who may have otherwise assisted, I'm leaning toward 3 to 5 total - the 1-2 perps, and 1-3 otherwise-implicated persons. Why? I don't know - it's a feeling after reading multiple reports. I think it's feasible that it's just one person, more likely 2, with anywhere from 1-3 others knowing something or possibly - perhaps unintentionally, or out of fear? - assisting.
- How many witnesses are there to the event, to the pre-event, and afterward who might have seen any indication of odd behavior, or of someone watching the scene with an odd intensity?
There are other questions, too.
In the first couple days following the incident, I'd written down some thoughts that I'd had regarding where investigators might look, and whether anyone could help jog their memory or another person's by thinking through or checking a few items on their phones or home networks.
Here's the (really short) list, almost verbatim - I was hoping to find and engage in one of the FBI's media people, in order to see if they would add or remove anything that could help encourage potential witnesses come forward or unveil any previously unknown evidence:
- Where were the bombs? Street location information may help the public realize they could have relevant images. This information came out pretty soon after I'd written this.
- Two bomb sweeps had been conducted that morning, one of which was only about an hour before the explosions. Did the sweeps - particularly the last one - definitely include the locations of the devices?
- If so, then either the devices were brought in afterward, or they were somehow shielded from detection.
- specifically identifying "ground zero" locations for the blasts may help people who could have passed by with friends and captured video or still images at particular times that investigators might find useful.
- Even without electronic imagery, if someone observed something that was odd, off or "different" which they might've forgotten, reminding them of the locations might help trigger those memories: write down or record yourself describing it, and call the number above.
- Investigators have released some of their images from the scene; they've also released some information regarding the composition & design of at least one of the bombs. This information may also help others to recall anything that may not have seemed odd at the time, but which may appear significant or related.
Example: Where'd your pressure cooker from the attic go? When did it go missing? Are you missing any black powder from your gun kit?
- There were apparently no threats pre-issued to race authorities, as least as far as investigators knew at the time of the morning news conference.
- It's quite likely all previous communications from the days leading up to the event are being re-checked to ensure that nothing got lost. It may be plausible that a spam filter caught an intended warning, threat or message ("manifesto"?) if it was sent from an anonymous site.
- cell phones and land lines of people involved in the planning & execution of the event, or its security, may be asked to review all called, particularly missed or unidentified numbers, for possible attempts to "anonymously" call in a threat/warning.
- Cell tower records might be required by investigators to sweep for potentially suspicious communications or possible triggering calls.
- Wifi networks in the area should preserve their records/logs for any attempted breaches or misuse, or unidentified connections made during that period.
- Websites, chat rooms or bulletin boards, plus Facebook, Twitter and other social media services - people should re-visit any messages that they thought odd, ideally at least screen-shot the message(s) if they are still accessible and with any identifying URL, time-date stamp, etc.
If you have visual images, video, and/or details regarding the explosions along the Boston Marathon route and elsewhere, e-mail them to boston@ic.fbi.gov. No piece of information or detail is too small.
You can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), prompt #3, with information.
No matter what, the perp(s) will be caught. In this day and age, it's highly implausible that there isn't enough information from the photos & videos - and thousands of attendees - for anyone to have completely avoided detection.
Some folks may claim that speculation is bad and to be avoided, but I would disagree: rampant statement of speculation as fact needs to be avoided. Trying to visualize the questions that could help you or others recall potential details that could aid investigators isn't worthless - if you recall something or decide to submit video or images or records that you suddenly realize may be significant, and it helps, then it's well worth it.
Yes - it takes time to process. But I'd rather see it take time, and be sure that the authorities can identify the right person(s) and make a good arrest stick, than to have one or people get away with a heinous crime and perhaps attempt to up the ante next time.
There's a lot more I wanted to cover, but I think that's enough for now. Hopefully, the upcoming presser will yield some good news all 'round.
10:09 PM PT: According to the FBI, they have images of two suspects who they are seeking help identifying. If you were there, or know someone who was, make sure the videos get watched. Check your own pictures or video from that day if you haven't done so already. Submit it if you might have been anywhere that one or both of these men walked by - you might have a crucial piece of evidence.
Thank you.
- GH
Fri Apr 19, 2013 at 5:43 AM PT: A few points:
- The bombers were brothers. Legal immigants. Chechen. Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev" and his brother.
- Those Reddit claims? Yeah - it's Reddit. Samil Tripathi and Mike Mulugeta are NOT the Boston Bombers.
- There's a third person of interest, via Slate's recent tweet:
And Boston & some immediate suburbs are in lockdown at the moment...and I'm still hearing sirens in the distance. Police everywhere - even waaaay out from Boston, here, appear to be engaged in ~something~...