The Teenager Pictured On New York Post Front Page Goes To Police To Clear Name
The New York Post reported today that authorities were circulating a photo of 17-year-old Salah Barhoun and a friend, and wanted to identify the pair and talk to them.
Screenshots of Barhoun's Facebook page posted earlier to Gawker show messages posted by the high-school student saying he was "going to court" and telling his friends he was not involved in the bombing that led to three deaths.
Barhoun told ABC he was shocked to see his face in media reports, and that he had just gone to watch the race. Barhoun's younger brother told reporters that their mother was "sick and upset" that her son had been linked to the bombing.
The New York Post's cover was widely discredited earlier today after CBS correspondent John Miller said that the two men pictured were not being sought by the FBI. A subreddit devoted to catching the Boston marathon bombers is deleting any posts that use the picture of Barhoun.
The New York Post is now reporting (in an article timestamped 1:43 p.m. EDT) that Barhoun and his friend have been cleared by investigators. According to Politico, New York Post editor Col Aitkin sent out an email earlier today saying they "stand by" the story and that it did not identify them as suspects.