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Boston bombing suspect in custody

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Photo courtesy of the FBI

One of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing is in custody after a manhunt that shut down the Massachusetts city and its suburbs today.

The Boston Police Department confirmed the news around 8:45 p.m., tweeting “Suspect in custody. Officers sweeping the area.” He is in serious condition, authorities said.

The suspect, 19-year-old Dzhokar Tsarnaev, was found hiding in a boat in the Boston suburb of Watertown when he was captured, according to reports.

Officials at the scene could be heard cheering shortly after he was collared.

His brother and fellow suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed during an overnight shootout after the two allegedly hijacked a car in Cambridge, Massachusets and murdered a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) police officer.

Boston Police Commissioner said, to his knowledge, the security guard was assassinated in his cruiser.

“These officers acted heroically, courageously,” Davis said.

A transit officer was also injured in the melee and is listed in critical but stable condition.

The younger Tsarnaev then sparked a manhunt through Watertown, which is about eight miles from Boston. Both towns were on virtual lockdown as authorities swept through searching for the teen.

It was only after a Watertown man left his home after being locked down all day and noticed blood on the boat stored in his back yard, Davis said. The man lifted the tarp covering the boat, saw a man covered in blood and proceeded to call the police.

Authorities believe the blood on Tsarnaev came from injuries the night before, but acknowledged there was gunfire during the seizure.

“Thankfully this man who found this suspect called the authorities right away,” Davis.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino said the city was resilient  and commended the joint police effort to arrest the suspect.

“We shall go on,” Menino said. “We’re a better city that we have been in the past week. We’re there working hard.”

The capture comes about 24 hours after authorities released footage of two persons of interest in the Boston Marathon bombing that left three dead and injured over 100.

Those killed on April 15 included 8-year-old Martin Richards, who was at the marathon watching his father run. Many had to undergo amputations after being severely injured in the blast.

President Barack Obama, addressing the nation after the arrest was confirmed, said he would continue using FBI, Homeland Security and other intelligence resources to find out why the suspects carried out the attack.

“Obviously tonight there are still many unanswered questions,” Obama said. “The families of those killed so senselessly deserve answers.

Obama flew to Boston Thursday morning for an interfaith memorial ceremony, in which he promised to bring the attackers to justice.

-BY TERENCE M. CULLEN AND CRISTABELLE TUMOLA