Explosions at Boston Marathon

[NashvilleDevil]

Prayers to Boston and anyone affected by this.

[Here is a Turtle]

Preliminary reports are 2 dead. 23 injured. Definitely tragic. Prayers to the families.

[jimsumner]

Prayers to Boston and anyone affected by this.

NBC is reporting at least two fatalities and at least two-dozen injuries.

Somber stuff. I fear the early hopes that it was an infrastructure issue may prove wrong.

[blazindw]

They've found 2 additional devices (and apparently they exploded one in a controlled setting). They've now started using the word "bombs" instead of "explosions." Just terrifying and sickening that this would happen.

[bjornolf]

Wow, just wow. Thank goodness they attacked the finish instead of the start. It could have been so much worse.

[Here is a Turtle]

Looks like it was 3 bombings. 2 on the race. 1 other on the JFK library. Boston globe reporting over 100 injured. Wow.

[blazindw]

Cell service has been shut down throughout Boston, according to law enforcement, so as to prevent any further remote detonations via cellphone. They're trying to spread the word that people should check in via social media to let loved ones know they're okay. Landlines are still operational, to my knowledge.

[bjornolf]

Looks like it was 3 bombings. 2 on the race. 1 other on the JFK library. Boston globe reporting over 100 injured. Wow.

They just said that the library thing was an unrelated fire that has been extinguished, not an explosion.

[Olympic Fan]

And CBS just reported that the cellphone shutdown was a myth.

The fact that they found at least one more unexploded bomb is actually good news -- it should make it that much easier to find the culprit.

[Newton_14]

FYI- I am moving this to the EK Board to give it better visibility.

Very sad. Our own Kelcey Carlson who is co-anchor on local WRAL TV morning and nightly news (the co-anchor of the main/top WRAL pairing for prime-time news broadcasts) is also a runner who participates in many marathons, ran the marathon today. We were all worried for her saftey, but learned that she finished a good hour ahead of the blasts. She ran it in something like 3 hours 10 mminutes and the bombs went off at the 4 hour 18 minute mark. The reports stated that the average finish time historically is like 4 hours 10 minutes give or take, so the bombs were timed such that the maximum amount of runners would be finishing up, and the amount of spectators at and near the finish line would be maxed out. Even sadder is one of the 2 dead was an 8 year old boy. Below is a bullet list of key points that are known at this time, from the WRAL article courtesy of the AP.

What we know:

• Two explosions rang out about 2:50 p.m. near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
• More than 27,000 people competed in the race, and thousands more were out on the streets to cheer them on.
• Boston Police say three are dead and more than 130 wounded.
• At least one other bomb was discovered by police and disarmed.
• A surveillance image showed a person carrying two backpacks near the site of the blasts.
• Authorities have not identified any claim of responsibility. They have no suspects.
• One man, who was seen running from the blasts and was then tackled by a bystander, is in police custody for questioning. He has been cooperative with investigators and is not considered a suspect, police said.
• There was a fire at the JFK library that police have said is not related.
• Security has been stepped up in other major East Coast cities.
• Google established a website to help people find their loved ones
• Telephone number to locate victims: 617-635-4500
• Telephone number for tips: 1-800-494-TIPS

[Wander]

And CBS just reported that the cellphone shutdown was a myth.

What part? I promise it's the case that EMS people and other responders were ordered not to use their cell phones. Although I did have a conversation between a cell phone in Boston and a cell phone Cambridge that worked fine about 20 minutes-ish after the bombs. But then again I think the shutdown orders happened like 90 minutes-ish after the bombs, so not necessarily inconsistent.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

Prayer from my (Episcopal) presiding bishop that reflects my thoughts for the dead and injured

Gracious God, you walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death. We pray that the suffering and terrorized be surrounded by the incarnate presence of the crucified and risen one. May every human being be reminded of the precious gift of life you entered to share with us. May our hearts be pierced with compassion for those who suffer, and for those who have inflicted this violence, for your love is the only healing balm we know. May the dead be received into your enfolding arms, and may your friends show the grieving they are not alone as they walk this vale of tears. All this we pray in the name of the one who walked the road to Calvary.

In addition we need to identify, find and deal with those who did this.

As an aside, my son lives in Boston and until he started med school last fall was a paramedic with Boston EMS. He was assigned to downtown and would have responded or have already been there if still in the service. His fiancé's sister is a trauma nurse and was called in. Looking at the links he sent me, the Boston emergency services are both horrified and determined to show the compassion and response that they went into emergency medicine to do.

[MCFinARL]

Prayer from my (Episcopal) presiding bishop that reflects my thoughts for the dead and injured

Gracious God, you walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death. We pray that the suffering and terrorized be surrounded by the incarnate presence of the crucified and risen one. May every human being be reminded of the precious gift of life you entered to share with us. May our hearts be pierced with compassion for those who suffer, and for those who have inflicted this violence, for your love is the only healing balm we know. May the dead be received into your enfolding arms, and may your friends show the grieving they are not alone as they walk this vale of tears. All this we pray in the name of the one who walked the road to Calvary.

In addition we need to identify, find and deal with those who did this.

As an aside, my son lives in Boston and until he started med school last fall was a paramedic with Boston EMS. He was assigned to downtown and would have responded or have already been there if still in the service. His fiancé's sister is a trauma nurse and was called in. Looking at the links he sent me, the Boston emergency services are both horrified and determined to show the compassion and response that they went into emergency medicine to do.

My daughter was at work in the Prudential Center yesterday and actually went out to watch the elite runners finish. Hard not to think how easily it could have been she among the injured. After the explosions they were restricted to the building for several hours but were allowed to leave the area following a designated path eventually.

[Newton_14]

I happened to catch Maxwell's personal account in an interview on the radio on the commute home from work today. For those that don't know, Cedric is the current radio Play by Play guy for the Celtics and lives in Boston.

Typing this from memory, but hope I get most of this correct. Per his account, yesterday he walked down to the area of the finish line for the marathon and hung out for about 20-30 minutes taking it all in and watching runners as they finished the race. About 10 minutes prior to the first explosion he decided to move along and walked into a nearby building. After he was in the building and on the second floor he both heard and felt the building shake from the explosion. He looked out and saw all of the smoke and people running from the area and shortly thereafter the second bomb exploded.

After he finally made it home he started watching the reports on the tv, and he saw from the camera view where the first bomb exploded. He instantly realized he had been standing in the exact area where bomb 1 went off. He saw a lady in a red dress who was standing there when the explosion happened and was badly injured, and he said he had actually been standing the entire time right beside her and had talked to her during the time he hung out there.

I can't even begin to imagine what he must be feeling right now. It was an incredible interview and chilling to hear his personal account and just how close of a call it was for him.

Just a very sad deal for the people who were not as fortunate as he was. Hopefully they bring the perp/perps to justice soon.

[matt1]

I happened to catch Maxwell's personal account in an interview on the radio on the commute home from work today. For those that don't know, Cedric is the current radio Play by Play guy for the Celtics and lives in Boston.

Typing this from memory, but hope I get most of this correct. Per his account, yesterday he walked down to the area of the finish line for the marathon and hung out for about 20-30 minutes taking it all in and watching runners as they finished the race. About 10 minutes prior to the first explosion he decided to move along and walked into a nearby building. After he was in the building and on the second floor he both heard and felt the building shake from the explosion. He looked out and saw all of the smoke and people running from the area and shortly thereafter the second bomb exploded.

After he finally made it home he started watching the reports on the tv, and he saw from the camera view where the first bomb exploded. He instantly realized he had been standing in the exact area where bomb 1 went off. He saw a lady in a red dress who was standing there when the explosion happened and was badly injured, and he said he had actually been standing the entire time right beside her and had talked to her during the time he hung out there.

I can't even begin to imagine what he must be feeling right now. It was an incredible interview and chilling to hear his personal account and just how close of a call it was for him.

Just a very sad deal for the people who were not as fortunate as he was. Hopefully they bring the perp/perps to justice soon.

I have no words to describe how much pain he must feel. It kind of reminds me of those people who decided, at the last minute, not to take the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis several years ago.

[sporthenry]

CNN reporting "substantial progress" and a source calling it a "significant" development. This would be huge because it started to sound like this could take months. Not that this still might not drag out since the definition of "substantial progress" might differ but hopefully this comes to a swift and just end.

[jv001]

Fox News now saying an arrest has been made in this terrible act. If so, great work. God bless those affected by this act. GoDuke!

[DukeAlumBS]

I agree with the FBI work here. Homeland Security needs work. The bomb mimics what Tim Mc Veigh used, which suggested a local but not foreign event. If foreign they would have laid claim to this event. After 9 /11 here Anthrax was used in this country. What confuses me is 2 letters of Ricin have been mailed out during the Boston event. Which is not the style of the terrorist. They , use a more damaging agent like Anthrax. Which is cheap. And kills much more. Ricin a potent biological, I think this is another issue.
Have nice day
Jimmy

[jv001]

Now Fox News and other major news outlets are saying an arrest has not been made. They all want to be the first to get the news out.

[Mal]

Fox News now saying an arrest has been made in this terrible act.

Or not, per official BPD statement released minutes later. Go, 24/7 Media! CNN bit on this one, too, so both of them have egg all over their faces right now. With CNN's massive oops on the ACA ruling just months ago, they're quickly losing any vestigial credibility as an actual news source. That's two "Dewey Wins" moments in pretty short succession.