Heroes Behind the Badge26 Aug 2025

Boston Bombers vs 3 Cops: 7-Minute Firefight

Episode Description:

April 19, 2013. Three small-town police officers found themselves face-to-face with the Boston Marathon bombers in what became the most intense firefight in modern American law enforcement history. Former Watertown Police Chief Ed DeVeau reveals the untold story of the seven-to-nine-minute shootout that involved hundreds of rounds, multiple pipe bombs, and split-second decisions that saved countless lives.

In this gripping first-hand account, Chief DeVeau takes us through the chaos of that night – from the initial traffic stop that went terribly wrong to the innovative tactics his officers used when their training couldn't prepare them for terrorists throwing explosives. You'll hear about courage under fire, quick thinking that defied department policy, and ordinary cops who did extraordinary things when evil came to their doorstep.

What You'll Learn:

How the bombers ended up in Watertown's jurisdiction
The tactical decisions that kept officers alive during the firefight
Why the officers had no idea they were facing the Boston Marathon bombers
The innovative techniques born of desperation that aren't taught in any police academy
The moment everything changed for a small-town police department

Featured Guest:

Ed DeVeau served as Chief of Police in Watertown, Massachusetts for nearly 15 years, culminating a 30-year career in law enforcement. His leadership during the Boston Marathon bomber manhunt exemplifies courage and tactical excellence under the most extreme circumstances.

Connect with Heroes Behind the Badge:

Website: behindbadge.org

This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Subscribe now to hear the dramatic conclusion in Part 2.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(68)

Morgan Wright — What the JonBenét Ramsey Crime Scene Actually Says | Part 2

Morgan Wright is the founder and CEO of the National Center for Open and Unsolved Cases, a nonprofit that works cold cases toward resolution rather than commentary. A former detective who went on to t...

13 Aug 34min

Morgan Wright — Reinvestigating JonBenét Ramsey From First Principles | Part 1

Morgan Wright is the founder and CEO of the National Center for Open and Unsolved Cases, a nonprofit that takes on cold cases and works them toward resolution rather than commentary. He is a former de...

11 Aug 37min

Bill Buford — He Owed It to the Men He Lost at Waco | Part 2

In Part 2 of this two-part conversation, retired ATF agent Bill Buford takes listeners back inside the gun room during the February 28, 1993 raid on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas. He w...

30 Jul 25min

Bill Buford — Surviving the Waco Raid as an ATF Agent | Part 1

Bill Buford spent nearly three decades in federal law enforcement, first as a Green Beret in Vietnam, then as a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In 1993, he ...

28 Jul 41min

Jim Freeman — Inside the Unabomber's Cabin | Part 2

Jim Freeman spent 32 years as an FBI Special Agent, rising to Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau's San Francisco field office. In the final two years of the 17-year hunt for the Unabomber, Freeman ...

16 Jul 33min

Jim Freeman - Leading the FBI's Hunt for the Unabomber | Part 1

14 Jul 42min

Rick Harcrow — Inside Attica: The Stats, the Families, and the Hidden Cost | Part 2

Rick Harcrow spent 37 years as a correctional officer at Attica Correctional Facility — home of the deadliest prison riot in American history. In Part 2, the conversation goes deeper: from the daily r...

2 Jul 32min

Rick Harcrow - Inside the Attica Prison Riot: What Really Happened | Part 1

Rick Harcrow spent 37 years as a correctional officer in the New York State prison system — 30 of them at Attica Correctional Facility. He wasn't there on September 9, 1971, when the riot began. But h...

30 Jun 44min