Boston Bombing Suspect Charged
Dzhokar Tsarnaev, the 19-year-old Boston Marathon bombing suspect, was officially charged on Monday by the federal government.
Tsarnaev was charged with one count of using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death and one count of malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive device resulting in death.
Tsarnaev and his older brother, Tamerlan, are suspected of having set off two pressure cooker bombs that launc
The brothers were detained last Thursday after a night of crime that terrorized the city of Boston and nearby suburbs. The two brothers shot and killed a young security officer at the campus of MIT, escaping in a stolen car.
According to court documents, one of the brothers admitted to his part in the attacks during the carjacking when he said:"Did you hear about the Boston explosion? I did that."
After a wild chase, the brothers were surrounded by police and engaged in a gun battle in the suburb of Watertown that left Tamerlan dead.
Tsarnaev suffered a bullet wound to the neck and head during a gunfire exchange with police that followed the day-long manhunt in Boston on Friday. A wound to the throat has left him unable to fully communicate.
If convicted of the charges the 19-year-old could face the death penalty.
Attorney general Eric Holder believes that the charging of the suspect brings closure to the series of horrid events.
"Although our investigation is ongoing, today's charges bring a successful end to a tragic week for the city of Boston, and for our country," Holder said.
Now that the concerns of a suspect on the loose have been calmed, Bostonians took time Monday to turn their attention to the memories of the victims. The city observed a moment of silence at 2:50 p.m. ET, the exact moment the first bomb exploded one week ago at the marathon.
The observation was called by President Obama. Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts asked the state to participate, and the Senate floor joined in as well.
