Explosions at Boston Marathon- Page 3

[NYadgal]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:34pm

Damn, damn, damn.

Heartbreaking. Senseless and heartbreaking.

I've been watching my Facebook newsfeed for news about friends running. One friend posted:

"thanks for everyone's concern. I was 10 seconds in front of the explosion ... awful awful awful. Trying to meet up with Betsy and the boys now."

Another posted:

"Maura was 2 minutes behind the explosion. She is ok. Mayhem here but we are all safe."

And then there is the report that families from Newtown had been invited to sit in the VIP area. While it's been confirmed that none were injured, I can't begin to imagine them involved in yet another tragedy.

My heart just feels shattered.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:37pm

They are now reporting 51 injured.

One hospital's ER went into lockdown and was evacuated, but has since been cleared. (Tufts)

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:47pm

Just reported at east 60 injured, 2 dead. It's rather miraculous there weren't more fatalities. No wait...just reported "there are fatalities but I'm not going to elaborate on that." Ominous.

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 05:47 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:00pm

It shouldn't suprise any of us that there may be more fatalities given the nature of many of the injuries.

God bless.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:02pm

^ Of course you're right, there will inevitably be more. God bless indeed. Beyond heartbreaking.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:14pm

Why would anyone attack a marathon? The whole thing seems pointless. Wouldn't the attacker(s) claim it by now?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:18pm

Stay safe, fellow Boston BWW-ers.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:28pm

Reports now stating nearly 100 injured. Fatalities still at 2.

Also being reported: one of the discovered bombs was located in one of the nearby hotels. (unsure of the accuracy)

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:28pm

Reports now stating nearly 100 injured. Fatalities still at 2.

Also being reported: one of the discovered bombs was located in one of the nearby hotels. (unsure of the accuracy)

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:38pm

smell of sulfur = black powder, relatively small blast, not much reported in the way of building damage - essentially a large pipe bomb loaded with shrapnel

probably homegrown "patriot" as was suggested earlier

marathon's an easy target - large crowd in small space, backpacks and gear bags everywhere

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 6:38pm

Reports are that one of the two fatalities was 8 years-olds. Tears.

Also, and I am pretty sure this was not what was going through the minds of Paramount Studios and JJ Abrams as this unfolded, but the screenwriter for the latest Star Trek movie decided to use Twitter to discuss the possibility that this was all an 'inside job'.
https://twitter.com/boborci/status/323907819248160768

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 7:14pm

Here in Boston there has not been any verification of the age of the fatalities at all. Please take all info this early with a grain of salt. (I'm not saying it's not true....but it is not being spoken of at all on either of the news stations I'm watching.

Suspicious package at the parking garage at MGH (Mass General Hosp) and a "person of interest" at another hospital, male. No other info.

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 07:14 PM

[Yawper]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 7:16pm

The Boston Globe has confirmed the death of an 8-year-old.


There undoubtedly will be a high number of "suspicious package" reports in the short term.

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 07:16 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 7:23pm

Yes, I am now hearing the reports of the 8 year old on multiple stations.

Any package left anywhere will be considered "suspicious".

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:10pm

They're reporting 113 injuries.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:19pm

@BostonGlobe

Injury count as of 745 pm by hospital: Boston Children’s 8; Brigham 27; BMC 23; MGH 22; BI 21; St E's, 15; Tufts 9

That rounds out to 125 reported injuries.

Bruins and Celtics both cancelled games. Red Sox are out of town for the week but their Patriots Day game ended before the attack.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:21pm

Why would anyone attack a marathon? The whole thing seems pointless. Wouldn't the attacker(s) claim it by now?

marathon's an easy target - large crowd in small space, backpacks and gear bags everywhere

And, with people from all of the world competing it is a worldwide stage. The perfect opportunity to lash out at everyone - not just the US.

Worth noting even though I don't think the two are connected - today is the 24th Anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster.


Hillsborough Disaster

Updated On: 4/15/13 at 08:21 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:36pm

I may have a little insight into Robbie's HOW question. For a number of years I worked in the same building as the organization that runs the marathon and so had the day off from work because, really, they needed the elevators. I lived really close to Copley Square and I would often head to the area of the finish line on marathon day, I would arrive around 3 pm. Think of that as sort of like 45 minutes after the ball drops on New Year's Eve in Times Square. There are still people, it's crowded, but it's very easy to get around, particularly onto the blocks where the finish line is. The tight as a drum security is much lighter than it is the whole week before the race and the first few hours of runners crossing the finish line. It's like a sigh of relief period.

Last year, the night before the marathon it was possible to walk down the middle of Boylston Street but you couldn't get anywhere near the stands, onto them or anywhere behind them. We even took pictures of ourselves running with our dog over the finish line. But everything else was completely cordoned off and patrolled. It stays that way until the event is winding down, which it was when these bombs went off.

I had heard reports at one point today that the FBI says there is area surveillance footage with somebody dopping a backpack into a trash can at the corner where the first blast happened. I have also heard a lot of stupid reportage on my area stations. One newscaster keeps saying, "This doesn't happen in Boston," but OBVIOUSLY it happened in Boston. Newscasters keep marveling that first responders ran to the area of the explosion to help. This is America. Why does that surprise them? THAT is what Americans do. If we can help somebody in trouble, WE TRY TO HELP SOMEBODY IN TROUBLE. These are not the isolated stories. The isolated stories are of the sick individuals who inflict death and harm on others. The reports of "traumatic amputations" at the scene have left me dazed. I hear sirens out my window tonight. I think back to the plot the FBI interrupted a few years back where a group of low life white supremacists was plotting to blow up Boston's beautiful Holocaust Memorial outside Faneuil Hall. I was down near that last night, and that plot came to mind as it always does when I go by there. And I ended up in the North End, the traditional carbo-boost location for many who run the next day.

Anyway, I am rambling on at this point. I am dreading the release of the names of the killed and injured.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:40pm

...if only all 27,000+ had been packin' guns, they could have defended themselves against the bad guys.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:44pm

Channel 5, Namo? (But they are all driving me nuts with their rhetoric.)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:48pm

Tiny, on Facebook someone i know down south wrote "bet Obama's gonna try to take away our bombs next"

And he was serious.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:49pm

3 confirmed dead.

[~tiny~]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:52pm

@jordan...Yea, well.....
(the "down" side of instant digital media). Every idiot and their reactive, wacko unsubstantiated ideologies...

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:53pm

It was Jack Williams on Channel 4. I have decided only to listen to WBUR online and to turn it down on occasion.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/15/13 at 8:54pm

Glad you're okay.