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| Boston carjacking victim's dramatic holdup: 'My heart was pounding so fast' | Boston carjacking victim's dramatic holdup: 'My heart was pounding so fast' |
| (14 days later) | |
| The man taken hostage by the Boston marathon suspects as they allegedly plotted to target New York has given a vivid account of his time being held captive and his eventual escape. | The man taken hostage by the Boston marathon suspects as they allegedly plotted to target New York has given a vivid account of his time being held captive and his eventual escape. |
| The Chinese man, who gave his name only as Danny in an exclusive interview with the Boston Globe published on Friday, recalled thinking "I don't want to die" as Tamerlan Tsarnaev pointed a handgun at him and hijacked his car. | The Chinese man, who gave his name only as Danny in an exclusive interview with the Boston Globe published on Friday, recalled thinking "I don't want to die" as Tamerlan Tsarnaev pointed a handgun at him and hijacked his car. |
| Danny eventually escaped by bolting from the Mercedes as the Tsarnaev brothers pulled over to refuel. Later that night Tamerlan, 26, died following a shootout with police. His younger brother Dzhokhar, 19, was captured the next day. | Danny eventually escaped by bolting from the Mercedes as the Tsarnaev brothers pulled over to refuel. Later that night Tamerlan, 26, died following a shootout with police. His younger brother Dzhokhar, 19, was captured the next day. |
| Danny told the Globe he had pulled over to send a text in Brighton, a Boston neighbourhood west of downtown, when a man in dark clothes approached and knocked on the passenger-side car window. Danny could not hear what the man was saying, so lowered the window. The man – who turned out to be Tamerlan Tsarnaev – climbed in, carrying a gun. | Danny told the Globe he had pulled over to send a text in Brighton, a Boston neighbourhood west of downtown, when a man in dark clothes approached and knocked on the passenger-side car window. Danny could not hear what the man was saying, so lowered the window. The man – who turned out to be Tamerlan Tsarnaev – climbed in, carrying a gun. |
| "Don't be stupid," Tsarnaev said. He asked Danny if he had heard about the marathon bombings. "I did that," Tsarnaev said. "And I just killed a policeman in Cambridge." | "Don't be stupid," Tsarnaev said. He asked Danny if he had heard about the marathon bombings. "I did that," Tsarnaev said. "And I just killed a policeman in Cambridge." |
| Danny said Tamerlan asked for money, but Danny had just $45 in cash. Tamerlan then ordered Danny to drive. A sedan, driven by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, followed as they set off. | Danny said Tamerlan asked for money, but Danny had just $45 in cash. Tamerlan then ordered Danny to drive. A sedan, driven by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, followed as they set off. |
| At one point Tamerlan told Danny to "relax", the Globe reported, as the nervous hostage struggled to stay in the lane. "My heart was pounding so fast," Danny said, remembering the moment. | At one point Tamerlan told Danny to "relax", the Globe reported, as the nervous hostage struggled to stay in the lane. "My heart was pounding so fast," Danny said, remembering the moment. |
| Danny, 26, said that he had moved to the US in 2009 to study for a master's degree. He left in 2012 and had only returned two months ago, to work for a startup, the Globe said. Danny told Tamerlan Tsarnaev that he was a student who had only spent a year in the US, however, and attempted to play down his wealth – the hijacked Mercedes, a ML 350, retails at $50,000. | Danny, 26, said that he had moved to the US in 2009 to study for a master's degree. He left in 2012 and had only returned two months ago, to work for a startup, the Globe said. Danny told Tamerlan Tsarnaev that he was a student who had only spent a year in the US, however, and attempted to play down his wealth – the hijacked Mercedes, a ML 350, retails at $50,000. |
| "Oh, that's why your English is not very good," Tamerlan said, after the two had originally struggled to understand one another. "OK, you're Chinese … I'm a Muslim." | "Oh, that's why your English is not very good," Tamerlan said, after the two had originally struggled to understand one another. "OK, you're Chinese … I'm a Muslim." |
| "Chinese are very friendly to Muslims." Danny said in the car, according to the Globe. "We are so friendly to Muslims." | "Chinese are very friendly to Muslims." Danny said in the car, according to the Globe. "We are so friendly to Muslims." |
| 'If you say a single word in Chinese, I will kill you right now' | 'If you say a single word in Chinese, I will kill you right now' |
| Danny was held hostage for 90 minutes in total, he said. After the two cars set off in convoy, Tamerlan then ordered him to stop in a side street. The Tsarnaev brothers unloaded several items from the sedan into the Mercedes, Danny said. Dzhokhar climbed into the vehicle and with Tamerlan now driving, the three of them set off again, stopping at a Bank of America ATM in Watertown so Dzhokhar could withdraw money from Danny's bank account. | Danny was held hostage for 90 minutes in total, he said. After the two cars set off in convoy, Tamerlan then ordered him to stop in a side street. The Tsarnaev brothers unloaded several items from the sedan into the Mercedes, Danny said. Dzhokhar climbed into the vehicle and with Tamerlan now driving, the three of them set off again, stopping at a Bank of America ATM in Watertown so Dzhokhar could withdraw money from Danny's bank account. |
| When the younger brother returned to the car, Tamerlan said they "both have guns" as he warned Danny not to attempt to escape. Danny said he then overheard the brothers speak in a foreign language. "Manhattan" was the only word he could make out. | When the younger brother returned to the car, Tamerlan said they "both have guns" as he warned Danny not to attempt to escape. Danny said he then overheard the brothers speak in a foreign language. "Manhattan" was the only word he could make out. |
| The brothers then asked Danny if his car could be driven out of Massachusetts. "What do you mean?" Danny said. "Like New York," one brother replied. | The brothers then asked Danny if his car could be driven out of Massachusetts. "What do you mean?" Danny said. "Like New York," one brother replied. |
| At one point Danny's cellphone rang. Tamerlan told him to answer it, but warned: "If you say a single word in Chinese, I will kill you right now." It was his roommate's boyfriend, concerned that Danny had not returned, and speaking in Mandarin. Danny complied with Tamerlan's order and answered in English. He said he was sleeping at a friend's home and had to go. | At one point Danny's cellphone rang. Tamerlan told him to answer it, but warned: "If you say a single word in Chinese, I will kill you right now." It was his roommate's boyfriend, concerned that Danny had not returned, and speaking in Mandarin. Danny complied with Tamerlan's order and answered in English. He said he was sleeping at a friend's home and had to go. |
| The moment of Danny's escape came when Tamerlan drove the car into a gas station. Dzhokhar got out and went to pay for the fuel, and Danny noticed that Tamerlan had placed his gun in the door pocket while he used a navigation device. | The moment of Danny's escape came when Tamerlan drove the car into a gas station. Dzhokhar got out and went to pay for the fuel, and Danny noticed that Tamerlan had placed his gun in the door pocket while he used a navigation device. |
| Danny realised this was his chance, he told the Globe. "I was thinking I must do two things: unfasten my seat belt, and open the door and jump out as quick as I can. If I didn't make it, he would kill me right out, he would kill me right away," Danny said. | Danny realised this was his chance, he told the Globe. "I was thinking I must do two things: unfasten my seat belt, and open the door and jump out as quick as I can. If I didn't make it, he would kill me right out, he would kill me right away," Danny said. |
| "I just did it. I did it very fast, using my left hand and right hand simultaneously to open the door, unfasten my seat belt, jump out … and go." | "I just did it. I did it very fast, using my left hand and right hand simultaneously to open the door, unfasten my seat belt, jump out … and go." |
| Danny heard Tamerlan shout: "Fuck" as he fled. He sprinted away from the car into the street, headed for a different gas station nearby. "I didn't know if it was open or not," he said. "In that moment, I prayed." | Danny heard Tamerlan shout: "Fuck" as he fled. He sprinted away from the car into the street, headed for a different gas station nearby. "I didn't know if it was open or not," he said. "In that moment, I prayed." |
| As the Tsarnaevs sped off, Danny reached the gas station. It was open. The clerk called the police, and Danny talked them through his ordeal. Officers arrived, and Danny told them the Mercedes could be tracked by his iPhone and the car's inbuilt satellite navigation system. | As the Tsarnaevs sped off, Danny reached the gas station. It was open. The clerk called the police, and Danny talked them through his ordeal. Officers arrived, and Danny told them the Mercedes could be tracked by his iPhone and the car's inbuilt satellite navigation system. |
| Police caught up with the vehicle nearby, and a shootout began which would end with Tamerlan Tsarnaev being hit by the car, driven by Dzhokhar. Tamerlan died, Dzhokhar was found that night, hiding in a boat. | Police caught up with the vehicle nearby, and a shootout began which would end with Tamerlan Tsarnaev being hit by the car, driven by Dzhokhar. Tamerlan died, Dzhokhar was found that night, hiding in a boat. |
| Danny told the Globe that he did not want to use his full name, although he thought it might emerge if he gives evidence during Dzhokhar's trial. "I don't want to be a famous person talking on the TV," Danny said. He said some friends had praised his actions, but he felt it was undue. | Danny told the Globe that he did not want to use his full name, although he thought it might emerge if he gives evidence during Dzhokhar's trial. "I don't want to be a famous person talking on the TV," Danny said. He said some friends had praised his actions, but he felt it was undue. |
| "I don't feel like a hero … I was trying to save myself." | "I don't feel like a hero … I was trying to save myself." |
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