By JUJU CHANG (@JujuChangABC) and ANTHONY CASTELLANO
April 20, 2013
One day after the Boston Marathon bombings, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev spent time at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he was enrolled as a student and “acted like nothing happened,” according to a friend at the campus.
Tsarnaev, 19, is believed to be one of the suspects behind the bombing of the Boston Marathon on Monday that killed three people and injured more than 170.
Andrew Glasby told ABC News that Tsarnaev lived one floor above him at the Pine Dale dormitory and he had a conversation with the alleged bomber one full day after the bombing on the campus.
“I can’t believe he had the balls to come back and act like nothing happened,” Glasby said.
UMass would only confirm that Tsarnaev was on the campus Wednesday, according to card swipes. Tsarnaev visited the gym and slept in his dorm room Wednesday, according to the school.
Glasby said Tsarnaev, who was often referred to as Jahar, blended right back into normal college life and was “convincing” that nothing was amiss.
“I thought as it was just regular old Jahar. We had a typical conversation, he was not startled, he was not scared, he was not anything. He was just the same old Jahar,” Glasby said.
Glasby said that Tsarnaev offered to give him a lift home to Waltham, Mass., on Friday. Tsarnaev described his car as a green Honda Civic, which was the same car police initially said Tsarnaev may have been driving while at-large.
Instead, Glasby spent Friday evacuating the campus, which sits about an hour south of Boston. A screeching fire alarm woke Glasby around 10 a.m. as Blackhawk helicopters circled overhead.
“I didn’t have time to grab my wallet or my phone. I only had time to grab my sweatpants and my sneakers,” Glasby recounted.
“UMass Dartmouth has learned that a person being sought in connection with the Boston Marathon bombing has been identified as a student registered at UMass Dartmouth. The campus is closed. Individuals on campus should shelter in place unless instructed otherwise,” the university posted on its website.
Glasby described Tsarnaev as an average Joe who played soccer, enjoyed FIFA soccer video games and smoked marijuana on a daily basis until this year.
“I think he told me from one of our conversations, ‘Oh I don’t smoke anymore,'” Glasby said.
To Glasby, Tsarnaev was a social, low-key guy with a messy dorm room and liked to listen to hip hop music.
“It really makes me wonder, the person next to you, are they really that person, acting like they are the best person but instead they are blowing up people?” Glasby said.
Late Friday night, UMass posted an update on their website, saying the campus will remain closed and an update will be provided later today.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families affected by this week’s tragic events. UMass Dartmouth is committed to being part of the healing process that will unfold in the days and weeks ahead,” the message concluded.
