Boston Marathon Victim Jeff Bauman: Suspect 'Looked Right at Me' Before Bomb Exploded
Jeff Bauman, a Boston Marathon runner who lost both of his legs during the bombings on Monday, has helped identify the two suspects responsible for the horror.
Police are hunting for suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, while his brother and accomplice Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout that also left one police officer injured Thursday night. Another cop, Sean Collier, was found dead in his police cruiser earlier in the night after allegedly being slain by the pair.
The city of Boston is currently under lockdown on Friday, with residents urged to not leave their homes as the search for the "armed and dangerous" suspect continues.
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Bauman was featured in some of the most graphic and widespread photographs taken from the finish line right after the bombings. In the viral images, the marathon runner appears bleeding, bruised and pale- many media outlets blurred or cropped out his mangled legs from the photo.
Despite his grave injuries, Bauman revealed essential details that helped ID the bombers, and had even made eye contact with one right before the bomb deployed.
"He woke up under so much drugs, asked for a paper and pen and wrote, 'bag, saw the guy, looked right at me,'" Bauman's brother Chris recounted, according to the Associated Press.
Furthermore, Bauman told the FBI that the suspect wore "a cap, sunglasses and a black jacket over a hooded sweatshirt."
Critically injured from one of the bombs, Bauman had both of his legs amputated at the knee before undergoing an additional surgery due to fluid in his abdomen.
The image of Bauman went viral not only because of its gruesome content, but because of the herosim amid the bombings. The 27-year-old received a rush of care from strangers, including the man pictured in a white cowboy hat by his side. The man was later identified as Carlos Arredondo, Costa Rican immigrant and former firefighter.
Bauman is fortunate to be alive, but the bombings did cause the deaths of Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell, and Lingzi Lu.
Meanwhile, people across the globe are glued to coverage surrounding the manhunt for the 19-year-old remaining suspect. Also, Boston has received an outpouring of messages of love and support in recent days.
Bradley Cooper is among those showing the city support. The "Silver Linings Playbook" star joined New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman on a visit to the Boston Medical Center where they met Bauman on Friday.
