The Boston Marathon bombing, subsequent manhunt, and current investigation are unprecedented—due not only to the nature of the attack but because of how much information has been available to law enforcement, the public, and the suspects. Data came in at a staggering velocity within seconds of the twin explosions, yielding constant changes and misreporting, as well as the timely apprehension of the suspects.

For all its successes, “big data” can also expose many limitations in existing technologies, demonstrating the need for new capabilities and providing new collaborative opportunities for law enforcement and technology developers. Some of the technologies discussed already exist in some form but are not yet ideally suited to the needs of this kind of event.