This Friday marked the one-year death anniversary of slain Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier, who was shot by Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The Tsarnaev brothers were fleeing from a widespread manhunt conducted by law enforcement over their involvement in the Boston Marathon twin bombings, The Los Angeles Times said. Police have said that Collier was killed by the brothers for his gun.
Collier was reportedly sitting in his police cruiser while on duty when he was shot by the Tsarnaev brothers. Tamerlan eventually died in a shootout with police that happened later in Watertown. Dzhokhar was apprehended and currently in isolation in jail while waiting for his scheduled trial on charges that has the death penalty should he get convicted.
Collier, who studied criminal justice at Salem State University, worked as a civilian at the Somerville Police Department at one point before he was hired at MIT, the LA Times said. Collier's sister, Nicole Lynch, and the rest of the family were relieved that Sean's new job was a relatively quiet post. She told The Associated Press, "Then he called me after his first week and said, 'I made my first traffic stop and they pulled a knife on me.'I remember thinking, 'Oh my goodness, maybe this is not as safe as I thought.'"
Aside from Collier, three other people who died in the blasts were remembered and mourned as well.
US Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren praised Collier, the newspaper said. On the other hand, Cambridge Mayor David Maher said that the intersection where Collier died will be named Sean Collier Square in memory of him.
Collier's friend, Sara Ferry, said in the memorial, "Sean embodied the spirit of MIT and the students. He was always learning. ... We are so grateful that he was part of lives at MIT. ... When Sean left us, love rushed in. ... Love will be Sean's legacy at MIT."
