trial
A pedestrian walks past death penalty protesters before the formal sentencing of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev at the federal courthouse in Boston, June 24, 2015. Reuters

In his first public statement since being convicted for his role in the deadly 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev said he was sorry for the attack that he and his brother carried out, according to eyewitnesses. Tsarnaev, who was given the death penalty, appeared before a federal courtroom Wednesday in Boston for his official sentencing.

Tsarnaev, 21, spoke for four minutes, touching on everything from his religion -- he is Muslim -- to the events of April 15, 2013. "I'd like to now apologize to the victims, and to the survivors,” he said during what many described as an emotional statement before the courtroom, according to the Boston Globe. The attack, in which the brothers placed bombs near the finish line of the race, killed three people and left nearly 300 others injured. "I am sorry for the lives I have taken and the suffering I caused and the damage I've done,” he said.

During Wednesday’s sentencing, families of the victims were able to address Tsarnaev, 21, directly. One woman said she was still too afraid to sleep but added that she had forgiven Tsarnaev, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Other victims said they were still angry. "The defendant will now die for what he did,” Elizabeth Bourgault, who ran in the race, told those gathered. “Whatever God the defendant believes in will not welcome him."

RELATED STORIES