Boston Bombing Suspect Found in Video Footage; Reports of Arrest False
UPDATE 3 p.m. ET - FBI and Boston Police Department confirm the Department of Justice's earlier statement that no arrests have been made in connection with the Boston bombings. Although it is confirmed that video footage has emerged that is being considered a "breakthrough" in investigations. The footage is believed to have identified a suspect leaving a bag at the site of the second bombing on Monday.
UPDATE 2.30 p.m. ET - New reports from the Department of Justice contradict widely broadcast previous reports that an arrest had been made. The DoJ believes no arrest has been made, although video footage showing the suspect has indeed been found.
1.45 p.m. ET - An arrest has reportedly been made in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings, according to a CNN report just after 1.30 p.m. ET.
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The news comes shortly after news broke that authorities had identified a suspect in the case.
According to CNN's John King, reporting from Boston, authorities made the breakthrough in their investigations with at least two videos being used to help them identify a suspect.
Surveillance video footage from a store, believed to be a Lord & Taylor Department Store, near where the second bombing took place on Monday, showed the suspect placing what authorities believe is the bag containing the second bomb device. Authorities also have stated that video footage from a local Boston TV station has helped investigators identify a person thought to have placed at least one of the bombs.
According to reports, a "dark-skinned" male could be seen in the videos carrying a bag and dropping the item at a location consistent with what investigators believe would have been the placing of the bomb.
King explained that a reputable law enforcement source gave him further descriptions about that male, but that at the present time it was "too sensitive" to make that further information public.
It is unknown yet whether this was a lone suspect, or whether the male was part of wider group, however, the video footage is said to have a clear shot of the man's face, and has been described by one unnamed official as a "game-changer." It is also not clear in the immediate aftermath of the arrest whether the suspect is domestic or internationally-based.
A briefing that was scheduled for 1 p.m. ET to offer an update on investigations has now been postponed until 5 p.m. as officials focus on the new information that has come to light.
The breakthrough comes after preliminary investigations identified that the bomb devices used at the Boston Marathon were housed in a pressure cooker. The cookers were used to conceal the explosive material as well as metal shards, nails and ball bearings in order to inflict as much damage as possible.
It is believed the explosives were put in 6-liter kitchen pressure cookers and hidden in bags that were placed on the ground.
The new video evidence has not yet been released by authorities, and the suspect has not been named publicly at this time.
Here is video news footage from Monday's Boston bombings:
