The Unlikely Place the FBI Turned to After the Bombings to Try and Solicit Information
An armed FBI agent passes a Boston police officer following an explosion at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon in Boston, Monday, April 15, 2013. Two explosions shattered the euphoria of the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday, sending authorities out on the course to carry off the injured while the stragglers were rerouted away from the smoking site of the blasts. (Photo: AP/Josh Reynolds)
The investigation of the two bombings that took place at the finish line of the Boston Marathon was turned over to the FBI Monday night. The agency is now requesting video and pictures from those on the scene, even taking to Reddit and social media as potential avenues to gather information.
"No piece of information or detail is too small," the FBI said in a news conference.
The FBI said it is seeking information, visual images or details regarding the explosions along the marathon route and elsewhere.
A Redditor going by dropPoliceFed and claiming to be a federal agent commented on a thread on the social news site Monday asking users to:
Please get the word out that anyone who has original videos, pictures or images taken during the marathon - please forward to the FBI Boston.
Please do not edit the original file. We are using the original date time stamps of the images. Any image taken along the entire race would be appreciated, but especially near the finish line at any time today.
Maybe crowd sourcing will help catch the suspects.
FBI set up a phone line for members of the public to call with information about the explosions. The call-in number is 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), prompt #3.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks as Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, middle, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers, far right, listen at a news conference in Boston Monday, April 15, 2013 regarding two bombs which exploded in the street near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing three people and injuring more than 130. (Photo: AP/Elise Amendola)
During a press conference in Boston Tuesday morning, officials emphasized several times the importance of sending in photos and videos taken at the race as they try to piece together the events. An official said it will take time for them to sift through the high volume of evidence they are receiving.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
