Police say MIT suspect tied to Boston marathon bomb

Police converge on neighborhood outside Boston

An official stands guard at Massachusetts Institute of Technology following reports of a shooting, Thursday, April 18, 2013, in Boston. State police say a campus police officer at the school has died from injuries in a shooting on the campus outside Boston.
An official stands guard at Massachusetts Institute of Technology following reports of a shooting, Thursday, April 18, 2013, in Boston. State police say a campus police officer at the school has died from injuries in a shooting on the campus outside Boston.

Editor's note: See Authorities: 1 Boston Marathon bomb suspect dead for newer updates.

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) - Police say one of two suspects in the shooting of an MIT police officer is dead and a massive manhunt is underway for another, who is tied to the Boston Marathon bombing.

Shortly after the MIT officer was shot Thursday night, police got a report of a carjacking in Cambridge, just outside Boston.

Police say of the at-large suspect, "We believe this to be a terrorist."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

The FBI is investigating whether the fatal shooting of a campus police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and gunfire and explosions in a nearby town are related to the Boston Marathon bombings.

A Massachusetts State Police spokesman said early Friday that one person suspected in the gunfire and explosions has been accounted for and one is at large.

The FBI said it is working with local authorities to determine what happened.

The MIT shooting on the Cambridge campus Thursday night was followed by reports of violence in nearby Watertown, about 10 miles west of Boston.

State police spokesman David Procopio said there is a "strong possibility" the incidents are related.

The MIT officer had been responding to report of a disturbance Thursday night when he was shot multiple times, according to a statement from the Middlesex district attorney's office and Cambridge police. It said there were no other victims.

In Watertown, witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and explosions at about 1 a.m. Friday. Dozens of police officers and FBI agents were in the neighborhood and a helicopter circled overhead.

State police spokesman David Procopio said, "The incident in Watertown did involve what we believe to be explosive devices possibly, potentially, being used against the police officers."

Boston cab driver Imran Sais said he was standing on a street corner at a police barricade across from a diner when he heard an explosion.

"I heard a loud boom and then a rapid succession of pop, pop, pop," he said. "It sounded like automatic weapons. And then I heard the second explosion."

He said he could smell something burning and advanced to check it out but area residents at their windows yelled at him, "Hey, it's gunfire! Don't go that way!"

MIT said right after the 10:30 p.m. shooting that police were sweeping the campus in Cambridge and urged people to remain indoors. They urged people urged to stay away from the Stata Building, a mixed-use building with faculty offices, classrooms and a common area.

Hours later, MIT, which has about 11,000 students, said the campus was clear but the shooter was still on the loose.

Earlier coverage:

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) - A tense night of police activity that left a university officer dead on campus just days after the Boston Marathon bombings and amid a hunt for two suspects caused officers to converge on a neighborhood outside Boston, where residents heard gunfire and explosions.

The chaos in Watertown, about 10 miles west of Boston, occurred just hours after a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer was shot and killed on campus. It was unclear if the outbursts of violence were related. No arrests had been made in the officer's fatal shooting, and a manhunt was on for the shooter.

The officer had been responding to report of a disturbance Thursday night when he was shot multiple times, according to a statement from the Middlesex district attorney's office and Cambridge police. It said there were no other victims.

In Watertown, witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and explosions at about 1 a.m. Friday. Dozens of police officers and FBI agents were in the neighborhood and a helicopter circled overhead.

State police spokesman David Procopio said, "The incident in Watertown did involve what we believe to be explosive devices possibly, potentially, being used against the police officers."

Boston cab driver Imran Sais said he was standing on a street corner at a police barricade across from a diner when he heard an explosion.

"I heard a loud boom and then a rapid succession of pop, pop, pop," he said. "It sounded like automatic weapons. And then I heard the second explosion."

He said he could smell something burning and advanced to check it out but area residents at their windows yelled at him, "Hey, it's gunfire! Don't go that way!"

MIT said right after the 10:30 p.m. shooting that police were sweeping the campus in Cambridge and urged people to remain indoors. They urged people urged to stay away from the Stata Building, a mixed-use building with faculty offices, classrooms and a common area.

Hours later, MIT, which has about 11,000 students, said the campus was clear but the shooter was still on the loose.

Earlier coverage:

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) - Police have converged on a neighborhood outside Boston where there were reports of explosives being detonated and police are telling reporters to turn off their cell phones.

Dozens of officers and National Guard members are in Watertown, where television outlets report that gunfire and explosions have been heard. A helicopter is circling overhead.

Authorities early Friday were calling for somebody to get on the ground and put their hands up and a loud thud was heard after someone shouted "fire in the hole."

Reporters are being told to move away from the scene. A police officer told a reporter: "If you want to live, turn off your cell phone."

Earlier Thursday night a campus police officer was shot and killed at MIT and authorities were searching for the person responsible.

Earlier coverage:

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - A police officer for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been shot and killed at the campus outside of Boston, authorities said early Friday. No arrests had been made and a manhunt was on for the shooter.

The officer was responding to report of a disturbance Thursday night when he was shot multiple times, according to a statement from the Middlesex District Attorney's office and Cambridge police. It said there were no other victims.

MIT said on its website that police were sweeping the campus in Cambridge and urged people to remain indoors until further notice. People were urged to stay away from the Stata Building, a mixed use building with faculty offices, classrooms and a common area.

The shooting came little more than three days after the twin bombings on the Boston Marathon that killed three people, wounded more than 180 others and led to an increase in security across the city.

The shooting took place about 10:30 p.m. outside an MIT building, according to state police spokesman Dave Procopio.

The officer, who was not immediately identified, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead from his wounds.

About 11,000 people attend the prestigious university.

Live Updates Online:

Updates via MIT emergency website: http://emergency.mit.net/

Updates via the MIT student paper's Twitter account: https://twitter.com/thetech

Cambridge police scanner: http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/13467/web

Boston police scanner: http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/6254/web

Updates via WCVB-TV Twitter account: https://twitter.com/WCVB

Live WCVB-TV coverage (when available) website access: http://livewire.wcvb.com/Event/WCVB_NewsCenter_5_Reporters_Meteorologists_on_Twitter

Live WCVB-TV coverage mobile access: http://cds1.yospace.com/access/lsg?lsId=hearst01-stream7