BOMBSHELL: Video Of Boston Bomber Shooting Himself
UPDATE - VIDEO DOES NOT SHOW SUICIDE ATTEMPT
I wanted to be the first to admit we got it wrong. As stated in the original piece, we were skeptical of the official story that the suspect had attempted suicide in the boat, but it was this video that changed our minds. Then last night a military IR video analyst with 3 years of experience (thanks Rick), analyzed the video and explained the images and sequence in question. Look in comments on page 2 for his detailed analysis. It is a fascinating read.
Update: Boston bombing suspect was unarmed in boat according to unconfirmed sources
This story hit the wires a few hour ago. It hasn't been confirmed at this point and is directly contradicted by statements from the Boston Police Chief. I'm sure we will hear more on this tomorrow. Police are going to have a hard time explaining why they riddled the boat with bullets if the suspect was in fact unarmed.
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So that readers can see our original analysis, we are leaving it posted below.
We spent several hours today examining the police footage including showing it to a trained video analyst and professor at Indiana University.
PUT CLIP ON FULL SCREEN
Video Of Boston Bomber Suicide Attempt
Start watching at 2:40. Look for the thermal blood spot to appear behind his head at 2:55 after he puts the gun up to his head and pulls the trigger.
After hours of careful observation of the police infrared video, we believe the Boston suspect shoots himself at exactly 2:53 into this clip. He lifts his right hand and shoots himself in the right side of the neck or mouth. His body goes limp and his head falls back and to the left, with the thermal image of blood appearing behind him. Watch on full screen at 2:49 and you will see the gun is on the left side of his chest in his left hand. You will then see the the gun as he slides it over his chest to his right hand.
Watch the last 5 seconds again. At 2:54 there is no thermal spot. At 2:55 the thermal spot behind his head begins to appear. At 2:56 the thermal spot is quite visible. And at 2:57 it starts to grow as the blood spreads. You can stop the youtube video and go frame by frame within each second for more detail.
To the left of his head just above where his left ear would be, you will see a small circular thermal spot appear after the shot. This image only appears after he is seen raising his right hand to the right side of his neck to pull the trigger. As his head starts to fall towards the left and back, you will see the small round thermal spot appear. You will not see it any other time before that.
Spreading Blood
If you watch the last 5 seconds of the clip closely you see that the thermal blood spot actually spreads or grows in size. It decreases in intensity very slightly as the blood cools, but it also increases in size pretty noticeably as the blood spreads out.
Also, after the shot when his body goes limp, he leans back and the blood-thermal spot is still below and separate from his head, and growing. Watch it a few times. You will see the thermal image morph. That was one of our biggest clues it had to be a warm liquid of some sort. So the only possibilities were blood and vomit.
Scroll down for important photos.
Photo of suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev walking away from the blast.
PHOTO - Suspect climbs out of the boat
PHOTO - Suspect in ambulance after capture
You can see the bullet exit wound above his left ear.
PHOTO - Boat where suspect hid from police
Photo showing massive blood spills and bullet holes in the side of the boat. For those who say he wasn't shot and bleeding when he got out of the boat, here's your proof that he was. Look closely at the step up on the trailer below.
EDITOR'S NOTE
All criticism should be confined to our analysis of the video.
Do not question our intent or motives. We seek the truth, and nothing else.
We are examining all facts objectively in this case. We generally criticize the government all day every day on this site. But we also seek the truth in every situation above all else. And that includes allegiance to any preconceived narratives about the bombing. We were one of the first to report on the presence of the Navy SEAL para-military security group 'The Craft' at the Boston Marathon. We profiled the college track coach who was alarmed by the police-training exercises and bomb-sniffing dogs. And we hammered the Boston Police Chief over the possibility of an advance bomb threat. Our coverage has been critical, but objective and fair in all cases.
And we correct our stories when we are wrong.
Apr 23, 2013 at 1:20 PM
Reader Comments (103)
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Correction on the first one -- closer to 0:38. But you can't see the black blob/dot behind his head at the 1:58 sequence? Scratch that, now my PC says it's about 2:03. My PC is running VERY slow and it's apparently screwing with the timing of the video.
Anyhow, at a point around 1:50-2:10 you can see a black blob/dot behind the head. Forget the time stamps if they're off, but just look for shots from angles that would show the round part of the life vest (i.e., angles similar to the last sequence). In each one of these, albeit not as clearly, you can see the "blob."
Okay, I watched 1:50 to 2:10 5 times and I didn't see anything. Can you stop the video at the point and give me a more precise time to examine?
But I will call my IU friend in a few minutes and ask him to look at that section again.
Thanks for your answer. Time will tell and I am keeping an open mind certainly. But for fun I will make you a gentleman's bet that the suspect doesn't die. You in for that bet?
I have no stake in the outcome or narrative. I just like to see the truth reported at all times, even if that goes against what some people would like to hear. I have managed to piss off both sides pretty heavily in my coverage.
http://storify.com/dkiesow/the-controlled-explosion-farce
A very good read.
Maybe this will help. I don't have a photo hosting service, but I left a photo here. NB, I've adjusted the contrast a bit to highlight the shapes and get rid of some extraneous shading, but this is the still from about the 1:55-2:00 mark.
http://pipesmagazine.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/album/5031/life-vest-black.jpg
OK. Thanks for that picture. I am curious to your thoughts on this:
"Watch the last 5 seconds again. The helicopter is NOT moving much at the exact moment the thermal spot comes into full view. At 2:54 there is no thermal spot. At 2:55 the thermal spot behind his head begins to appear. At 2:56 the thermal spot is quite visible. And at 2:57 the helicopter starts to move. You can stop the youtube video and go frame by frame within every second. The helicopter starts to move back noticeably AFTER the thermal spot appears, but not very much before."
Do you agree?
How did Dzhokhar get up and step off the boat when he JUST apparently shot himself...I would most likely get unconscious if I shoot myself (if not dead already), and/or be way too weak to stand up and get off the boat.
In the last photo -- at the bottom of the story -- you can see all the blood on the step and the railing. Based on that, I think it's pretty obvious he was shot already when he got out of the boat. The question we're trying to answer is -- did he shoot himself or was he shot by police?
That is new information that the carjack victim was Chinese.
Here's a link.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/alleged-bombers-carjack-victim-barely-escaped-grab-bolted/story?id=19020863#.UXboeaI3uSo
I do NOT trust the FBI as a general rule. Nor the MASS state police who released the video. But if they edited the video to show a suicide attempt, they did a horrible job. And they didn't tell us for example, "he shot himself" we have it on video -- here's proof. They haven't said that.
Thanks for your comment.
For what it's worth.
I just called the MASS state police and then the FBI media offices. The person from MASS said "there are people here that think so and others who aren't sure" when I asked whether they thought the attempted suicide was shown on the tape they released.
The FBI media rep said "no comment."
Thanks for all the additional links you provided for me. I was reading all the comments and I started to watch the video again because of the doubts. If you start the video at 2:49 and play it then pause and start, pause and start and so on. You will see as you get to 2:56 or 2:57 that there is a line of what appears to be smoke go across his chest just below where his chin would be. You will see it clear and then it starts to fade. As his head falls to the left, the line is gone and you will no longer see it. I am not an expert on any of this, nor do I have any high tech or fancy equipment, but if I can see it on my $300 laptop, I am sure others can. Take a look at it and tell me what you think.
I feel sorry for the conspiracy theorists who think photos and videos are doctored. There are cries for transparency and freedom of information, then when it is released, the same people say it is faked, forged, or altered. Is it so hard to believe that these two guys did it? Wouldn't be the first time seemingly normal people attack a public setting.
Again, any IU professors or Just a Mom ever seen gunfire in IR before? In real life, not a movie.
Aldous Huxley
H.L. Menken
Franz Kafka
ALL Apply. Don't Believe ANYTHING. You are now down the Rabbit Hole.
Thanks for the additional links. I was reading the comments about the gun. I watched the video again and at around 2:56 or 2:57 if you start and pause, start and pause really fast you will see what looks like a line of smoke going across his upper chest just below where his chin would be. It is somewhat distinct and then starts to fade away. Not sure if that is smoke from the gun or what, but after those frame you will no longer see it. Im no expert on any of this nor do I have any fancy equipment, but maybe you can talk to your friends at the University and let me know.
Correction it's between 2:53 and 2:55 that you will see it.
Has anyone considered that while remotely possible, a shot from a police officer would have an extremely hard time taking that path. It would have to enter through the suspect's mouth at an angle in order to exit just above the ear. If it entered on the other side of his head it would have killed him as it passed through his skull to exit above the left ear.
Just another data point to consider.
Yes, there was one person who had military experience who was working in the telecom lab yesterday, and we called a 2nd person to ask some questions about muzzle flashes. I suppose we will never know with absolute certainty. I understand that others might have a different opinion and that's fine of course.
Thanks for all the questions from everyone.
Yes, there is a trail of something there between 2:53 and 2:55. We saw it and tried to figure out what it was yesterday. We thought the same as you, that it is a trail of smoke from the gunshot but we were not able to tell for sure.
Thanks for keeping the dialogue open and allowing peoples ideas to be posted. Much appreciated.
I have over 3 years of analyzing combat video IR feed from a variety of land based and airborne platforms. From rotary wing to high altitude fast movers. I worked as an after action report analyst and have spent hours and hours frame by frame with ground combat IR footage. I have seen numerous gunfights in IR. Up until tonight, I had been watching this video on a mobile device and it was clear to me there was no gunshot, but I couldn't tell the details of the white hot signature that went to his chin or the white hot signature behind his head on the small screen.
Just watched it about half a dozen times on a normal computer screen and it is clear as day what we are all looking at. You have to trust my 3+ years experience analyzing these kinds of videos. If I was in that room with the IU profs then you probably would.
His arms are actually folded with his left arm on top of his right arm. The hand that you thought was his right hand is actually his left hand. He lifts it up and at 2:52 you can clearly make out his fingers curving toward the front of the boat. You can also clearly see the semi elastic wristband portion of the sweatshirt, that is the darker colored line from about where his chin is running roughly parallel with his fingers towards the front of the boat. At 2:54 you can see his right arm move from over his stomach to slightly towards his left side tucking it more underneath his left arm, and then his left arm goes back down so his arms are back in a crossed position over his chest. The boat covering flaps in the wind a little at the same moment, but his right arm clearly moves from his stomach to more of a tucked position on his left side.
It is plain as day. Again, with over 3 years experience and working as an IR video analyst during combat ops, that white hot signature that moves up to his chin is actually his left hand with his fingers in a relaxed position pointing towards his feet. He lifted his left hand and arm up to shift his position and right arm a little.
Now, the question of the white hot signature that shows up behind his head...? What's the explanation on that then right? Well, it is not that odd with an aircraft in a circular orbital standoff that heat signatures seem to show up and/or then vanish with the constant changing look angle from the aircraft... and the timing is coincidental. It is an area of heat that was masked by the diagonal structure above the engine housing visible at 3:03. Another white hot signature is seen show up and then get masked at earlier at 2:50. Towards the top of the field of view. So same thing with the heat signature behind his head.
You said you were looking for the truth and facts. I guarantee if you showed this to other people with just as much experience analyzing IR video as I have, they would say the exact same thing. I've seen gunshots in IR and I've seen people shot in the head in IR. There is a flash around the gun, casings eject from semi autos, and "cranial matter" flies out the back. I wish I could show all those videos so you would see what it looks like to compare with this one. I guarantee you would agree.
To summarize... He's laying on his back with his arms folded across his torso, left arm on top of right arm. He shifts and raises his left arm, left hand moves up towards his face, fingers pointing toward front of the boat, tucks his right arm from his stomach to more over his left chest area, then lowers his left arm back down. It's not opinion, it's analysis from someone who's been doing it for over 3 years with combat IR footage.
The guy who found him in the boat is debunking original media reports of blood location in an interview...
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2013/04/24/pmt-ed-harding-wcvb-man-finds-tsarnaev-in-boat.wcvb
Thanks again for welcoming input. It will be interesting to see how much evidence is released as the case progresses. And years from now, a documentary should cover everything.
First the easy stuff. That was a great CNN interview. So we have confirmation from the boat owner that there was NO blood on the outside of the boat when he climbed the ladder and found the suspect. He said he saw a "decent-sized" pool of blood on the floor of the boat looking through the cover, and then he saw the suspect lying on the other side of engine housing which sits in the middle of the boat.
Why so much anger and name calling? Healthy debates here if you read the comments.
So you're saying that no person with IR experience would disagree with your analysis? Well we did have a ex-military guy there who disagrees with you, but he does not have nearly your level of IR knowledge. I couldn't tell how much he really knew about video analysis.
I trust your IR experience. You know more about this than anyone we had looking it. You have raised some serious doubts in my mind about our analysis obviously. Do you see a gun in either of his hands? We know that a gun was recovered in the boat. And we thought we saw a gun move across his chest into his right hand and then towards his neck. You are saying that was his left hand. Do you see a gun in that hand?
Regarding the heat signature (thermal spot) behind his head. Are you saying that you saw the same circular spot at another point in the video? Because we looked for that obviously and never saw it. I checked the timestamps you gave and I couldn't tell, but my eyes are hurting and destroyed from staring at my computer screen for the last 15 hours. I will watch it again tomorrow.
I will say this. I can definitely see the scenario you describe when watching. At the same time, I can still also see our scenario when watching. It's really strange. Something about watching these clips makes you see double. I do regret now going with such a declarative headline for this story. The reason I say that is I can't change the headline once I post a story or the link becomes dead. If you notice, our URLs are built off our headlines, and so if even 1 letter changes in the headline, the URL changes and the old link dies. I was originally going to title the story with a question - Does This Video Show The Bomber Shooting Himself...? But I went with a declarative headline unfortunately, and can't change it.
It sounds very possible that we got the conclusion wrong but we put a lot of time and effort in an attempt to get it right. I appreciate that you took the time to give such detailed input. Much thanks.
It's obvious from your statement, that you haven't even watched the clip carefully. So it's hard to take you seriously. And you didn't look at the photos either because in the last pic you can clearly see a lot of blood on the step and railing where he climbed out of the boat. And Rick just posted a great interview with the boat-owner who confirmed there was NO exterior blood when he saw the suspect inside the boat.
So we can assume he was shot again while inside the boat.
General question.
Would you see still see a muzzle flash or any noticeable heat signature if here were swallowing the gun, had it pushed to the back of his throat when fired? And would you see any noticeable image on this clip as the bullet exited above his left ear?
Thanks
First, video analysis is full of those "face on mars" moments where people are so sure they see something, and it turns out to be something else. The brain just tends to do that. There were many times where supervisors and other coworkers agreed and were certain they saw one thing, and I had to point out what was really going on after spending hours frame by framing and rewind replay etc. They all were flabergasted their brain saw what it wanted to see. So it happens often. Especially with little experience looking at IR footage. Remember our eyes and brain aren't used to registering the world in IR, so it is a new realm for those who haven't spent a lot of time looking at it. It would be much easier to point it out if I could have been in that room with everyone. Doing my best via the internet.
If you can find someone with as many years of IR analysis experience they will agree 100% that his arms are crossed over his torso, and his left hand is raised towards his chin, back of his wrist facing his chin while fingers hang pointing toward his feet and front of the boat, his right arm moves across his stomach towards his left side, and his left arm and hand are lowered back down with no gunshot. The black line near his left hand is most likely the stretchy part of the cuff on a sweatshirt. Slight possibility it is a bracelet or thin band watch underneath the sweatshirt, but a distinct wrist confirming feature either way.
There is no gun in his left hand, the hand that he moves toward his face. I've watched his right arm moving across his stomach close to 2 dozen times now and it appears there is an object in his right hand. Not the hand that he moved to his face, but the one that moved across the stomach at 2:54. I can't discern a definite pistol shape, but it appears to be an object he's holding and moves across his stomach and puts his left hand down on his sternum. The question I asked though was why no heat sig from his right hand holding the object. It looks like he is holding the object with his right hand tucked into the sweatshirt sleeve... similar to what people do on a cold day without gloves. They pull their hand inside the sleeve and clench to keep cold air from going in. It looks like that is what he is doing with is right hand. I'll watch it more tomorrow after some sleep also, but at this point that is what it looks like. I wish I could see definitive outlines of a pistol of some kind, but am not 100% on that.
There would absolutely be a noticeable heat signature even if the barrel was touching the back of his throat. Whether a revolver or semi auto, hot gases are a plenty and no human can contain those fast moving hot gases in their mouth. Even a small caliber .22 would release visible heat and hot gases.
It would be glaringly noticeable in this particular IR camera had a gunshot gone off. This helicopter was very low and close, the resolution on this camera is actually very clear in terms of IR footage. And the bullet exiting would be very noticeable. The amount of cranial material shot out would depend on the type of bullet, hollow point, soft tip, or jacketed, and whether it hit bone or just soft tissue. It would be noticeable in this clip if it left above his ear. And again, the person I did see take a gunshot to the head and not die right away was flailing on the ground. Very disturbing to see that. It was a random execution amongst locals in the middle east in the middle of a field. I wasn't working when it happened, but saw the footage file afterward. It happend many years ago and was one of the first IR videos I saw. So, very ingrained in the memory. This does not resemble the human bodies reaction after taking a bullet to the head at all.
You guys did put a lot of effort into it and it is great to see so much interest and concern for the truth vs what questionable information that gets sent out so rapidly. But in fluid and tense situations, misinformation is bound to happen. And we live in such a 'want answers now' society that it's challenging to be patient sometimes. The investigators don't even know all the answers, the court proceedings still have to happen, so there is no way the media or law enforcement can present all the answers or evidence at this moment. TV episodes have crimes solved in an hour or less... seems like a lot of people expect the same from reality.
2:28-2:40 two hot spots are visible just behind his head when the camera is in black hot. compare those two with the two hot spots in white hot just behind his head at 3:04. it is possible those are heat sigs from hot shrapnel originating from the flash bangs also.
kudos for the research, and bummer you can't change the title, live and learn. it's ok to have misread IR footage... happens a lot to people that aren't used to looking at it. always learning.
will let you know if I notice something else.
That was awesome to read. I learned a lot.
Since I can't change the headline, I'm going to adjust the text of the post tomorrow to reflect what you've explained here. Rather than putting all of your comments into the post (which would make it way too long for most people) I will post 2 links at the top of the story that will link directly to both of the longer comments you've made here this morning.
Thanks for taking the time to provide such great detail.
What about the gas tank?
Looks like either our minds are playing tricks on us or we could be right. I find it rather strange that what I thought I see in the video is what the reports are saying they think happened. Nowhere in my findings did I mention him putting the gun to his head or in his mouth. It always appeared to me that it was pressed up against the right side of his neck. Now I see that someone came on here who claims to be an expert on this. I'm not disputing his opinion, but based on his comment it doesnt seem like his left or right arm are the same as my right and left arm. Maybe I am reading it wrong or he has the arms mixed up. Either way I found this link and thought it was interesting. Let me know your thought or any updated findings.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/cornered_boston_bombing_suspect_Aulju68vlUH7wbZmRROjtJ
No claim of being an expert was ever made, just bringing my years of experience analyzing IR videos to try and help out. Something that might help is if you fold your arms loosely over your torso, left arm on top of your right arm. Lift your left arm towards your chin with the back of your hand facing your chin. Move your right hand over your stomach towards the left as if you are tucking it towards your underarm. Then lower your left arm back down on top of your right arm in a tigher arms crossed position. That is the movement he makes in this video.
When you lifted your left hand towards your chin, your fingers naturally droop away from your face. His fingers are clearly visible pointing away from his face when his left hand his lifted up. The main white hot heat signature that moves towards his face. The black line is either the stretchy wrist portion of the sweatshirt or a bracelet or watch. Either way, that black line clearly identifies his left wrist. While his left arm and hand are up, he moves his right hand across his stomach towards his left, with an object in that hand, and then lowers his left arm down on top of his right hand.
It is still possible he tried to shoot himself, after this clip ends, but there is no self inflicted gunshot in this particular video clip. At 2:51 to 2:55, he's readjusting his position with what looks like an object in his right hand that moves across his stomach. Not up to his chin. The white hot signature that moves up to his chin is his empty left hand with fingers pointing towards his feet and front of the boat.
And as I was telling DB earlier, people aren't used to seeing the world in IR, so at first it is very common for the mind to play tricks. I've seen it happen to people many times and have seen people get through it to seeing what is actually on the screen. It was my job for a few years.
I will never claim expert status, just bring my experience to the table to try and help others with less experience watching IR footage.
MrEthiopian
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/boston-bombing-suspect-unarmed-captured-report-article-1.1326712
I saw the story on the wires a few hour ago. It hasn't been confirmed yet and is directly contradicted by statements from the Boston Police Chief. I'm sure we will get confirmation tomorrow. However, I am in the process of updating this story to reflect the new information.
And if you were following in comments you would know that we figured out last night that this clip does not show a suicide.
Thanks for your update.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312486/Dzhokhar-Tsarnaev-Bomb-suspect-wakes-answers-FBI-questions-writing-shooting-mouth.html
Bomb suspect wakes up: He is conscious and answering FBI questions in writing after 'shooting himself through mouth on boat'
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/cornered_boston_bombing_suspect_Aulju68vlUH7wbZmRROjtJ
I wasn't able to link directly to your comments in the update I just added to the top of the story. Apparently once we get to page 2 of comments, direct linking doesn't work. So I just added a note for readers to look here in comments for your analysis. Thanks again for your help.
I enjoy your comments but you have a habit of leaving comments without reading the preceding comments. We figured out 24 hours ago that this video does not show a suicide attempt. And I posted the link to the no-gun story 3 comments above yours.
And I updated the main text of the story at the very top to reflect our mistake. Here's the no-gun link again.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/boston-bombing-suspect-unarmed-captured-report-article-1.1326712
Thanks.
You were right, and I was wrong.
Fair is fair.
When did it become your job to spread FUD, misinfo?
No problem. Appreciate the involvement of readers and quick reply. Hadn't heard of this website before finding the link to this video on a tweet. Will follow along now.
And don't let the critics get to you. Some people are just hostile and look for random outlets. Comes with the territory when you are putting stuff out there. Always will be some random flak from people.
Welcome to the world of IR video. Kudos to seeking the truth.