The following facts have nothing to do with any other facts, past, present, or future. This is happening in a vacuum.
Gregg Re is liveblogging the chaos in Watertown, which is ongoing. Some of the highlights, if you want to call them that:
At least one heavily armed assailant with “grenades” and “explosives” and firing “automatic gunfire” is loose near MIT’s campus, according to police dispatchers and the school’s emergency website, and police say are looking for “dark-skinned” and “Middle Eastern” suspects…
Multiple media outlets have reported that at least one police officer has died…
First suspect was reportedly dead on arrival at a local hospital, Mt. Auburn…
The AP has identified the two suspects as coming from the “Russian region near Chechnya.” … Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, is reportedly the remaining suspect…
This photo of the 19-year-old “Suspect 2″ (real name either Dzhokhar or Djohar A. Tsarnaev), who is currently terrorizing Boston is now circulating on social media. According to Russia Today, here is his social media profile. The profile identifies the man as Muslim, with his world view listed as “Islam…”
This disturbing video was taken from Suspect 2′s (19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s) social media page:
NBC reports the older brother and deceased “Suspect 1″ was 26-year-old TAMERLAN TZARNAEV…
“All officers, use extreme caution. Suspect may have suicide vest on,” officer says on Boston PD scanner. … “SUSPECT IS REPORTED TO BE WEARING SUICIDE VEST,” another officer says seconds later. … DECEASED “SUSPECT 1″ HAD TRIGGER ON HIS BODY FOR EXPLOSIVE DEVICE…
Tactical team is in place at Willow Park. “We don’t need any more help here,” one officer said over the police radio at 8:38 a.m., before voicing concern that units are rushing into the Willow Park area haphazardly, and abandoning previously secured perimeters and locations…
That’s where it stands right now. One way or another, justice will be done.
What could have motivated these men to do these things? We may never know.
Just try to remember the real victims.
Update: Some much-needed perspective from a veteran newsman.
A city where the president was just yesterday, is totally locked down. #Boston
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) April 19, 2013
Update:
Good morning, @davidaxelrod. Could you tell us some more about your “tax day” theory? #BostonMarathon #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
You’re off the hook this time, teabaggers. But just to be on the safe side, you’d better shut up anyway.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Blaming the NRA for the #BostonMarathon bombing and #Watertown is like blaming United Airlines for 9/11.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Do everybody a favor and spamblock the hoax account @dzhokhar_a.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
I want to hear more about what a big month April is for “right-wing violence.” We can expect your report shortly, @nprdina?
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
God help anyone who got all their news from MSNBC the last 4 days.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) April 19, 2013
My beloved nephew on right, djohar tsarnaev on left, happy cambridge Rindge and Latin grads.heartbreaking twitter.com/hereandnowrobi…
— Robin Young (@hereandnowrobin) April 19, 2013
Okay, another hoax account to spamblock: twitter.com/Dzhokhar_
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
I wonder if @reuters will accidentally publish their history of the Tea Party and how it relates to current events. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
We’re hearing media should get another update at the command center in the next 30 mins or so. 2nd marathon bomb suspect still on run.#WCVB
— Emily Riemer (@EmilyWCVB) April 19, 2013
The people who’ve been aching for the #BostonMarathon bombing to be motivated by ideas they hate will now shame you for discussing motive.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Dead suspect: “I don’t have a single American friend, I don’t understand them” hotair.com/archives/2013/… Motive: Loneliness. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Dead Boston bombing suspect was a “very religious” Muslim boxer: dailycaller.com/2013/04/19/dea… Motive: jock itch.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Remember: Discussing the motives of Islamic terrorists is racist, no matter what their skin color is. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
If these guys had been Tea Partiers, would you listen to a Tea Party spokesman saying we have to understand why they’re victims? I wouldn’t.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
So far, so good: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_New_Beg…
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
If you plant a bomb in a crowd of people, right next to a little kid, you’re a terrorist. I don’t care why you did it. #BostonMarathon
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Correction: I do care why someone committed a terrorist act. There’s just no motive that makes it anything but terrorism. #BostonMarathon
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
I respect these guys’ uncle and anyone else who condemns their actions. I’m just not going to consider them victims. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
This is crazy. We are locked down in our home. Don’t understand why these monsters have done this instagram.com/p/YSOWvSkLpT/
— Tagg Romney (@tromney) April 19, 2013
Just think of all the news packages about “right-wing violence” the MSM had to throw out this morning. Well, they’re easy enough to recycle.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
It’s impossible to parody the @nytimes any better than they do themselves. #Watertowntwitpic.com/ckgq7m
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
They were just trying to fit in. Why did you reject them, America? Good work, @nytimes. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Need a break? I sure as hell do. Fortunately, @yesnicksearcy is here to help: dailycaller.com/2013/04/19/nee…
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
@jtlol Hope ppl being asked to stay inside @ Watertown Mass. are armed, w/ no recent public news on records of who own or don’t own a gun.
— Dennis C.P. McMahon (@DenCat66) April 19, 2013
Remember the Journal News map of registered gun owners? @dencat66 made a good point: That tells armed fugitives which houses NOT to hide in.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
What the hope-they’re-white crowd really wishes for is a reason to treat their domestic political adversaries as enemies of the state.
— James Taranto (@jamestaranto) April 19, 2013
And here’s @politico‘s #Watertown self-parody. It’s KILLING them that this wasn’t their political opponents.twitpic.com/ckh2l4
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
OUT: “This sure does remind me of those teabaggers…” IN: “Stop whining, teabaggers, it’s not about you!” #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
John Kerry Doesn’t Want to Talk About Benghazi: abcn.ws/14Cdvej How is Islamic terrorism relevant to… Oh.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
.@mmflint finds the silver lining: twitter.com/MMFlint/status…
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
And? MT @mmflint This is the anniversary week of Columbine, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Virginia Tech massacre, the Bay of Pigs, & Waco.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
MT @mmflint I guessed correctly. This balcony wasn’t strong enough.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Apparently, this is the guy who’s still at large:
I’m a stress free kind of guy
— Jahar (@J_tsar) April 17, 2013
.@dianesawyer just said we don’t know if their religion has anything to do with it. The “terror expert” said it doesn’t matter. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Not mutually exclusive. MT @anamariecox Branding terrorists LOSERS, not villains, monsters, martyrs, foreigners, religious fanatics: a win.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
.@nytimes shows sympathy for Boston terrorist suspects: dailycaller.com/2013/04/19/new… And then surreptitiously deletes the evidence. #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
So is Shiraz. RT @dianesawyer Boston, you’re in my heart today.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Hi, @dianesawyer. You’re downplaying the fact that the #BostonMarathon bombers are Muslims. Would you downplay it if they were Tea Partiers?
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
.@brianross made a Tea Partier a suspect in a crime. @dianesawyer is denying that a criminal’s Islamic faith is relevant. That’s @abc News.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Bob Schieffer is lamenting how little we know about this fugitive. “Is he in a cult?” Careful, Bob… #Watertown
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Hi, @bobschieffer. The fact that these guys are Muslims doesn’t provide any clues as to their motive. Don’t you dare say it does.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Car jacked by Muslim terrorist suspects had COEXIST sticker | The Daily Caller dailycaller.com/2013/04/19/iro… via @dailycaller
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013
Unlike Boston, with Benghazi the govt never released the promised surveillance video. And no suspects identified or arrests to date.
— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) April 19, 2013
Quick, to the Journalismobile twitter.com/JFeitelberg/st…
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) April 19, 2013
Dina Temple-Raston really called the #BostonMarathon bombing, didn’t she? youtu.be/NayS5xeVbLE Take a bow, @nprdina!
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) April 19, 2013