Boy have things changed. When the world looks towards social media first before they turn on the news it’s a new age. This week the news has been filled with speculation as well false reporting of suspects. The New York Post posted pictures of the wrong suspects and even printed it! One minute you think they have made an arrest but really they are still puling pictures off a surveillance video. The news networks are also watching social networks to get their information.
The FBI reached out to everyone that was at the race to pictures like this one of Suspect 2 placing the bomb down. They wanted to public to identify him. With multiply angles and surveillance video they found them.
No we can listen to the police scanners from anywhere in the world as things have become digital. hundreds of thousands of people were listening live as the police shut down Watertown to search for the last suspect of the Boston Marathon bombings. My source of up to the second tweets on things happening comes from @YourAnonNews. there are so on top of things. The Boston Police Department is also tweeting out to make sure their mission isn’t compromised.
#MediaAlert: WARNING: Do Not Compromise Officer Safety by Broadcasting Tactical Positions of Homes Being Searched.
— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston_Police) April 19, 2013
Right after that most of the sites that broadcast the police scanners took the Boston one offline so that people tweeting out street names where the police were wouldn’t tip off the suspect to how close they were to him. I watched my twitter feed live to see things unfold in real time instead of waiting for broken and false reports from the news medias.
They also circulated new pictures of the suspect so residents were on the look out.
#WANTED: Updated photo of 19 year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev released. Suspect considered armed & dangerous. twitter.com/Boston_Police/…
— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston_Police) April 19, 2013
They think they even found his Twitter account. Where he tweeted things like “I’m a Stress Free kind of guy” and the most sick was this one.
@imrealted fake story
— Jahar (@J_tsar) April 16, 2013
A local in Boston turned on his webcam and faced it right to his police scanner so that people could listen in to the local feed that isn’t digital. It was amazing listening live to the scanners though. Like a live movie. I was proud to call myself a Massachusian. When they had his custody the police officers said it you could hear how happy they were. When the dispatcher gave the all call and time of capture she was giddy. The the commissioner jumped on and said that he has never been as proud of his city as he is today. Everyone responded with thanks and yells of joy.
My grandfather was part of Boston’s Finest for 35 years. I’m so proud on the efforts of everyone involved in bringing this last suspect in. Despite the people tweeting things they shouldn’t have from the scanners, they got him. We were tuned in to Ustream and Twitter. Holding our breath as the call came in.
Amazing job. Amazing how much things have changed. Social Media (not always correct) but getting information before the news outlets.
I am so happy they found these jerks. It is amazing how everyone pulled together to make it happen.
I’m so happy that these &*^^% are off the streets!
Social Media can be wonderful and can be a pain. I’m sure people were not even thinking if they tweeted what they were seeing it might tip them off.
BTW Love that last tweet!
I’m really glad that this is all over and now the city can try to begin to heal!
This is the first time that I have seen the picture of the little boy like that. IT’s so sad. I am glad that they caught the guys and one of them alive!
Oh my gosh, that little boy was beautiful…what a piece of $h!t that turd was, I’m so angry! I am crying now, what a horrible loss 🙁
What a horrible tragedy. I hope that they were the only two involved.
I’m so glad they found these two guys.
Things have definitely changed!!
It pains my heart to see the picture of the little boy and that scum putting the bomb behind him! So glad they got them.
It was interesting to see how it all went down in social media, although I’m sure we all would have preferred to not ever have to hear about something like that.
My prayers are with Boston. I’m just so glad it’s over.
Boston is so close. I had a few friends up there that day.
Wow, I never would have thought how social media would combine with this. Sad about the little boy and I’m so glad they caught them.
My thoughts go out to all of the victims and their families. Tragic.
I believe that 1st photo is photo shopped the back pack is out of place but I’m sooo happy to see that justice has been done and that he has been caught. I hope they get details soon as to why they even did that in the first place
It really is crazy how much social media had a role in this event- both in good & bad ways.
Things really have changed. My work place had the TV turned to CNN and I kept going out to watch it all day. It’s amazing to think how long this might have taken, or how different it would have been, without social media.
So happy they found them. It’s still so sad though that all those people were hurt or killed..
So happy they found them. It’s still so sad though that all those people were hurt or killed..
Glad they got him! Love the Adam Sandler tweet.
I’m so glad it’s over!
It was truly amazing how social media played a role in all of this. I noticed several occasions where the news anchors were getting confirmation of events from tweets sent out by Boston’s Mayor.
I was impressed with how the FBI and police handled the situation. It goes to show that if you do these horrible things you will get caught.
I am glad they found them also. But the tweet about the guy who was going to propose was a fake.
That pictures makes me sick every time I see it. I don’t remember praying so much for a city like i have for Boston — a strong city with amazing police, fire and safety officials. Stay strong Boston!!
My heart hurts so badly for the parents of that young boy. I can only hope he was happy and passed quickly!
Glad they found them.
There are definitely pros and cons to news spreading so quickly. It was great to see so much support in trying to find the ones that did this horrible act!
what a nightmare!! thanks for sharing and so happy no one else was hurt by these people
Kind of crazy that social media helps so much!
Sometimes I do feel like there’s way too much being shown on media because it’s just so accessible. I worried they’d evade capture because they might be tipped off as to where they were looking!
Technology can be such a help and a hindrance in events like these. I saw so many different news stories about the little boy – his dad was running, his dad wasn’t running, etc. etc. and then that he was running for Sandy Hook (which wasn’t true)…it’s sad that you have to double and triple check stories from actual news outlets to see if they’re correct or false.
Oh I know, the picture referenced in the tweet above that the bomber called out as a fake story….awful
social media really has changed the world.
That picture of the little boy and bomber gave me shudders.
I know isn’t it just terrible? Breaks my heart.
New technology is a curse and a blessing. This is a case where the pros outweigh the cons (at least in my opinion).
I no longer feel bad about getting my news from Facebook and Twitter!
As a mother, I just don’t know now anyone could live after this type of tragedy. Losing a child would kill my spirit, and having a child who committed such a crime against humanity would also kill my spirit.