Slain MIT officer was 'murdered for his gun' after he was 'ambushed by Boston Marathon bombing suspects'
he MIT police officer who was executed in his patrol car on Friday morning was drawn into a trap by the Boston Marathon bombing suspects - who killed him for his gun - it has been claimed.
Sean Collier, 27, died from multiple gunshot wounds in the early morning hours of Friday as he responded to a noise complaint.
The motivation for that murder was at first unclear, but police now believe that the suspects shot him in order to steal his gun.
CBS News reported that Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev were armed with just one gun and a pellet gun, and may have been looking to broaden their arsenal.
The network reported that the brothers' efforts to take Collier's gun were unsuccessful because he had a locking system in his holster.
Less than an hour later, police caught up with the suspects, engaging them in a wild shootout in which Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed.
His brother Dzhokhar managed to escape, but was caught on Friday evening as he hid in a boat in a Watertown backyard.
The revelation came as the young police officer was laid to rest in an emotional scene at a church in Stoneham, Massachusetts.
Family, friends and colleagues lined the streets to pay their respects to Collier, a 27-year-old Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer who was killed in the line of duty.
A private funeral Mass for Officer Collier was held on Tuesday at St Patrick's Church.
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Honor guard: Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officers march as they depart St Patrick's Church in Stoneham, Mass., following a funeral Mass for MIT police officer Sean Collie
Guard of honor: Police officers line up outside St Patrick's Church in Stoneham prior to the funeral for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Police Officer Sean Collier
Friends, family and law enforcement officials gather outside the Church for the funeral of Officer Sean Collier who was shot dead by the Boston Marathon bombing suspects
Grief: A mourner walks out of St Patrick's Church following Sean Collier's funeral in Stoneham, Massachusetts
Mourners arrive at the funeral for MIT officer Sean Collier
A memorial service open to law enforcement and the MIT community only is scheduled for Wednesday on MIT's campus. Vice President Joe Biden is expected to attend.
'Our only solace is that Sean died bravely doing what he committed his life to - serving and protecting others,' his family said in a statement.
He had worked for the MIT police for a little over a year and had been offered a job with the Somerville Police Department.
He was a Wilmington native and a graduate of Salem State University. He is survived by his parents and five siblings.
Boston's Finest: Police officers march past St Patrick's Church following the funeral service of Sean Collier on Tuesday
B Strong: A woman wearing a Boston Marathon runner's jacket watches as police officers file into St Patrick's Church for the funeral of MIT police officer Sean Collier
The young officer enjoyed mountain climbing, training young boxers and playing kickball on a team called Kickhopopotamus - but most of all, he was dedicated to being a police officer.
It was reported on Tuesday that Collier had volunteered at the same boxing gym where one of his alleged killers, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, had trained as a fighter.
Officer Collier impressed students and his colleagues with his contagious enthusiasm, be it offering students rides or volunteering for extra duties.
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Honor guard lines the streets for funeral of slain MIT police officer Sean Collier who was 'murdered by Boston bombing suspects'
MIT Police Chief John DiFava said on Friday: 'Just the other day - and I still have it on my computer - he asked me if I would have a problem if he approached the homeless shelter to see if he could become a member of the board of directors, so that he could work with those people down there and try to mitigate problems before the problems develop.
Chief DiFava added: 'The kid was the real deal.'
Heartbroken: Mourners leave the private service on Tuesday for Officer Collier
Shock: There were emotional scenes as mourners lined the streets outside St Patrick's Church as Sean Collier's coffin was removed
Comfort: Priests offer words to mourners on leaving the Church in Stoneham, a small town close to Boston
A private funeral was also held on Tuesday for eight-year-old Martin Richard, the youngest victim of the marathon bombings.
A private funeral Mass was held with immediate family in the morning, followed by burial, according to a statement released on behalf of the family. No other details were provided.
The boy was laid to rest and that he is now at peace, the statement said.
'The outpouring of love and support over the last week has been tremendous,' it said.
'This has been the most difficult week of our lives and we appreciate that our friends and family have given us space to grieve and heal.'
Support: Young men embrace following the 27-year-old's funeral after he was killed in the line of duty
Remembrance: A tribute honoring fallen Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier is seen on a window of a truck
The family, from Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, said it would hold a public memorial service in the coming weeks to celebrate Martin's life.
The boy was among three people killed when two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15. His mother and sister were among more than 260 others wounded.
Krystle Campbell, 29, of Medford, and Lu Lingzi, a 23-year-old Boston University graduate student from China, also died in the attack.
Victims: From left, Martin Richards, eight, Krystal Campbell, 29, and Lu Lingxi, 23, were the three people killed in the explosions which tore through spectators at the Boston Marathon last Monday