Source: Friend of bombing suspect attacked agent with sword

(MyFoxBoston.com) – FOX 25's Bob Ward was told by a confidential informant that the man, who was killed while being questioned by FBI agents in Florida, was in the process of confessing to a triple murder that occurred in Waltham when he suddenly attacked an agent with a sword.

Ibragim Todashev, a friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, reportedly made incriminating statements in the brutal unsolved Waltham murders that occurred on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Todashev and Tsarnaev were both from Chechnya and both mixed martial arts fighters. They once lived near each other in Cambridge.

In recent weeks, Todashev became a suspect in the murders, and on Wednesday, the 27-year-old finally agreed to meet at an apartment near Universal Studios with a Boston FBI agent, as well as two Massachusetts State Police troopers.

During the interview, investigators took notes and everything appeared to be going well. Eventually, Todashev was asked to write down, in his own handwriting and in his own words, what he had been telling authorities about his role in the murders when in the words of one source – all hell broke loose.

Todashev allegedly began writing, but then flipped a table over, knocking the Boston FBI agent into the wall hitting his head.

FOX 25's Bob Ward was told the agent looked up to see Todashev waving in his direction what was described as a Banzai ceremonial sword.

Fearing for his life, the FBI agent drew his weapon and fatally shot Todashev. The entire incident taking only seconds.

It is unclear how the fatal shooting affects the triple homicide investigation. The FBI is not commenting on the open investigation.

The three murdered Waltham men were discovered with their throats slashed and high grade marijuana tossed over their bodies. Police also recovered $5,000 in cash.

One of the murder victims, Brendan Mess, was found away from the other two victims. He suffered other serious injuries. Mess was also friends with Tamerlan Tsarnaev and was also a mixed martial arts fighter.

Last week, the FBI said in a statement that Todashev initiated violent confrontation that resulted in his death, and last week, Ward's sources said that Todashev attacked the agent with a knife and the agent was hospitalized with stab wounds to the head.

However, the source has since clarified saying the agents told investigators Todashev came at him with a large sword-like weapon. The agent was injured when the table was overturned and the agent's head was smashed into the wall. The agent was hospitalized and received nine stitches in his head.

An FBI team in Washington, D.C. is investigating Todashev's fatal shooting.

Cox Media Group