"We believe this to be a terrorist. We believe this to be a man who has come here to kill people. We need to get him in custody," said Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis.
The suspect police are looking for in Watertown is the one seen in images released by the FBI of a man wearing a white cap, Davis said.
One police officer was shot dead and a second wounded in the dramatic nighttime operation, authorities said.
One suspect was caught in Watertown near Boston after a chase in which explosives and gunfire were heard, the Boston Globe reported.
Special police forces sealed off much of the town as they hunted the second man, the newspaper and other media said.
The authorities made no comment on whether there was a link between the manhunt and Monday's bombing in which three people were killed and about 180 injured.
But the operation came only hours after the Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of the suspects they believe planted the bombs.
A robbery at a gas station was followed by the killing of a police officer on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a car chase to Watertown, media reports said.
A second police officer was wounded in a gunfight in the town, they added.
Suspects brothers of Chechen origin
The two suspects in the deadly Boston marathon bombings, one of whom was killed in a shootout with police overnight, are brothers of Chechen origin, NBC News reported Friday.
The suspect still at large has been identified as 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the US network said, adding the two men were legal permanent residents of the United States.
COMMENTS (22)
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@cautious: They were born in Chechnya and were then in Dagestan (in Russia). And eventually the children (don't know about the father who is currently in Dagestan) sought citizenship.
@G. Din: One was 26 and one was 19, not late 20's. And dear sir, the US has enemies EVERYWHERE. The difference is other enemies don't strike the way radicalized "Muslims" do: with brute force and senseless attacks. I'm an American citizen born and bred and even I'm not naive enough to think the US doesn't have more enemies around the world than it does friends.
@Zim: I wouldn’t be surprised if Russian intelligence could be the mastermind, just to make the Chechen rebels look bad, and turn American popular support against the rebels.
Conspiracy theory, the favorite Pakastani past-time!!!
@Noman Ansari:
Even if that info is false, what about Col. Purohit and Pragya Thakur?! They are terrorists too. And this conclusively proves that Terrorism has no religion.
Oh so interestingly they found both of the suspects.. Seems these suspects were armatures and not trained by CIA/ FBI, otherwise they might have brought DEMOCRACY to some country...
See the effect of this ideology....They were not from middle east or Central Asia . They were Russians . We knew that this is the work of followers of the religion of Peace , But we were told to remain silence until the culprit is caught. Now we don't know whether to rejoice or stay inside . Because anytime a bomb can rip through our body.........
@Zim: These guys want freedom for themselves in other countries but are not willing to grant to the minorities in their lands.Freedom is a two way lane.
@ Noman Ansari
suspect is supposedly a student named Sunil Tripathi. How many Tripathis have really held a gun? FYI, it is a Brahmin. Not a Muslim name- sorry.
@Zim
Older brother was golden gloves competitor and he was interviewed by journalist covering competition - acknowledged he was a Muslim also admitting he had no American friends because he thought they were "strange". Family moved from Chechnya to Kazakhstan - eventually sought asylum in USA where they were ultimately granted citizenship.
@Noman Ansari: Shame on you for coming up with a Hindu name. What ever respect I had for you is gone. Do you have a source, you are a free lancer.
@Noman Ansari:
Arent you the guy who regularly writes blogs ???
Its strange that u seemed to make wild theories like Zaid Hamid's Amar Singh..Sorry the only RSS,USA knows is RSS feeds
@others Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev is a Chechen who desribes his worldwide view as "Islam". Besides,the USA govt will be puzzled as to why a Chechen rebel who fights agaisnt the occupation of Russia,which is an enemy of USA commit terrorist acts in USA??
F.Y.I I lost $20 in a bet as I said the attacker will be a gun toting redneck like Timothy McVeigh as I thought muslims wouldnt put the final nails to their coffins...
@Ibrahim: "Who said they were muslims. Give me proof." @Zim: "@G. Din: How do you know for sure if they’re Muslims?" Read the comment by @frustrated above, who says:"Both were Chechenya origin muslims…This is latest report.." "Second of all if they turn out to be Muslim, what does their faith have anything to do with their actions?" Statistical probability of a Muslim, professing Islam, marks him out as a highly likely "potential terrorist". Statistics is a study of, and conclusions from, observed data. In overwhelming number of cases, though not in all, such conclusions have proved to be highly accurate.
@ Noman Ansari You should tell FBI that they are after wrong guys.
@G. Din: How do you know for sure if they're Muslims?Not all Chechens are Muslims, some are eastern/Russian orthodox.
Second of all if they turn out to be Muslim, what does their faith have anything to do with their actions?
I don't really see how Chechens would benefit from this, they want freedom from the Russians, they don't have any resentment against America.
I wouldn't be surprised if Russian intelligence could be the mastermind, just to make the Chechen rebels look bad, and turn American popular support against the rebels.
@Stranger: "Uncle Sam seems to be having varied types of ‘enemies’." No, Uncle Sam does not have "varied types of enemies". The only people for whom everyone else (including US) is an enemy are the Muslims. Those two also professed Islam. The two suspects are (or rather were, now that one is already dead) brothers from Chechnya. They are (were) legal residents of the US. They are (were) in late twenties.
@Noman Ansari: Check your sources They are from Chechnya and you know their religion!!
Both were Chechenya origin muslims...This is latest report..
They dont seem to be having the traditional beard and turban . The ones with beards and turbans are the usual suspects. I am being sarcastic here. wow Uncle Sam seems to be having varied types of 'enemies'.
Unconfirmed reports state that suspect #1 is dead.
The suspect is supposedly a student named Sunil Tripathi. Born and bred in America.
I guess Pakistanis are breathing a sigh of relief that the bomber was not Pakistani. Still condolences are in order. This was an inhumane bombing and an attack on innocent civilians. I wish someone feels as sympathetic towards us as we go through this almost daily.