UPDATES BELOW ARTICLE:
Patriot’s Day is celebrated in New England with the running of the Boston Marathon. Approximately three hours after the winners of this year’s Marathon completed their race, two explosions went off just before the finish line. The finish line is located across from the Boston Public Library.
As can be seen on the video below, the first explosion went off exactly 4 hours, 9 minutes and 44 seconds after the race began. Smoke engulfed the remaining runners on the course, the crowds on the sidelines, and when it cleared, many were injured and at least 2 confirmed dead and 28 injured.
A nurse who was present in the medical tent as a standard measure to deal with typical issues such as dehydration told a New York radio station that “the tent began to look like a makeshift morgue.”
Following the two explosions, there were reports of additional unexploded devices being found by Boston Police, at least one of which police then triggered in a “controlled detonation.”
People were being asked to leave the Boston Marathon finish line area, which is on Boyleston Street in front of the Boston Public Library, as quickly as possible. There have been unconfirmed reports of multiple amputations from the blast of the bombs.
An hour and a half after the first bomb went off, Boston residents continued to report police sirens continuing non-stop.
UPDATE: A third bomb exploded at the John F. Kennedy Public Library in Boston at approximately 3:00 p.m. No injuries were reported. Boston and Massachusetts government officials will give a public update at 7:00 pm ET.
UPDATE 5:36 pm: Cell phone service cut off in Boston, Logan Airport shut down, no flights in or out.
UPDATE 6:46 pm: Reports that one of two confirmed deaths was an 8 year old child.
The White House is referring to the attacks in Boston today as acts of terrorism.
UPDATE 8:33pm : Earlier report regarding bomb blast at JFK Library now retracted, explosion due to fire. Story may change again.
Ball bearings were packed into the explosive devices to make the wounds more extensive, more excruciating and more numerous.
Unconfirmed report that second fatality was a young woman. Conflicting reports regarding a possible “person of interest” in custody.
UPDATE 10:30 pm: A third death has been confirmed, at least eight injured are in critical condition.
The FBI has taken over the law enforcement responsibility in the quest to discover who was responsible for the terrorist attack.
An AP report quoted a Rhode Island state trooper who had just completed the race when the bombs went off.
‘I started running toward the blast. And there were people all over the floor,’ Roupen Bastajian said. ‘We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs. A lot of people amputated. … At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing.’