Tsarnaev Brothers May Have Had Suicide Pact -- and the Younger May Have Tried to Shoot Himself During Capture

With one of the Boston bombers dead and the other in critical condition after a showdown with the FBI, questions still remain in the case, and there is a sense among some observers that those questions will never be answered. And according to at least one report, that too may have been part of the Tsarnaev brothers' plan.

The Tsarnaev Brothers on the day of the Boston Bombing (Photo Credit: AP)

The Daily Mail reports:

A new report says Dzhokhar Tsarnaev shoved his pistol in his own mouth and pulled the trigger as SWAT officers and federal agents closed in on the boat where he was hiding on Friday night. However, instead of killing him, the bullet simply tore through his neck.

Authorities have said they cannot question him because of the throat wound. CNN reports that Tsarnaev remains 'intubated and sedated' at a Boston hospital.

The Boston police commissioner said Tsarnaev is in 'critical but stable' condition on Sunday - which appears to be a downgrade from reports earlier this weekend that his condition was only 'serious.'

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev being treated after his confrontation with investigators (Photo Credit: AP)

Boston Mayor Tom Menino revealed that federal agents may never be able to interview Tsarnaev. Menino didn't elaborate on his comment and it is unknown whether the gunshot also caused brain damage.

Police sources told MailOnline that investigators are looking into the possibility that Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan had a suicide pact so that neither of them could be taken alive and put on trial. Authorities believe Dzhokhar likely killed [his] brother, who was handcuffed, when he ran over him.

A suicide pact could also explain why 19-year-old Dzhokhar ran over his own brother in his stolen Mercedes SUV as he escaped from the scene, the sources added.

Tamerlan was killed early Friday after a running gun battle with police. Doctors say he appeared to have multiple gunshot wounds, blast injuries and major trauma from being hit and dragged by his brother's car.

The new twist in the story of Tsarnaev's dramatic capture comes as the Boston police commissioner warns that he and Tamerlan were plotting more bomb attacks on the city and they were caught just in time. Authorities insisted that the pair were working alone.

Ed Davis said the bombers were flushed out of hiding when the FBI released close-up surveillance video of their faces and asked for the public's help in tracking them down.

The Mail also discovered what appears to be video showing the standoff between Tsarnaev and Federal agents. It's very obscure and hard to tell what happens, seeing as the video relies on thermal imaging, but for those interested in details, it's a must-see:

Gawker has also reported that the younger Tsarnaev brother may have shot himself, presumably to deprive investigators of the chance to learn more about what motives he and his brother acted on in bombing the Boston marathon last week. However, as long as Tsarnaev is alive, even in critical condition, the prosecution against him is proceeding apace. Federal prosecutors are looking to charge him possibly as soon as today.

Tsarnaev being loaded into an ambulance after being arrested, en route to the hospital (Photo Credit: AP)