Boston Marathon bombing
![]() | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (April 2013) |
Boston Marathon bombings | |
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![]() Aftermath of the twin blasts | |
Location | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Coordinates | 42°20′59.2″N 71°04′44.1″W / 42.349778°N 71.078917°W |
Date | April 15, 2013 2:50 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00) |
Attack type | Bombing |
Deaths | 3[1] |
Injured | 176+[1] |
Perpetrators | Unknown |
On April 15, 2013, two bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon about 2:50 p.m. EDT (18:50 UTC) on Boylston Street near Copley Square, just before the finish line.[2] The blasts killed 3 people, and injured at least 176 others.[1] No official suspects have been named, and no arrests or claims of responsibility for the attack have been announced.[3]
Bombings
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/2013_Boston_Marathon_bombings_map.png/220px-2013_Boston_Marathon_bombings_map.png)
The bombs went off within 550 feet (170 m) of each other, killing 3 people and injuring at least 176.[1][4][5][6][7][8] Video from the finish line shows about 12 seconds passed between the two blasts. The first occurred outside a Marathon Sports store at 671 Boylston Street, the second about one block further west of the finish line.[4][9] The race clock at the finish line was showing 04:09:43 (4 hours, 9 minutes, and 43 seconds since the third wave, or group, of runners started the marathon) at the time of the first explosion.[10][11]
The winners had crossed the finish line about two hours earlier; other runners were still coming across.[9] Storefront windows nearby were blown out,[9] and a window on the third floor of the Boston Public Library, across the street from one of the explosions, was damaged.[12] Law enforcement officials said that they believe the explosions were caused by homemade bombs.[13][14][2] There had been no prior indications of an imminent attack.[2]
Victims
Three people were confirmed dead.[1] The Richard family of the Dorchester neighborhood lost 8-year-old Martin Richard, while his mother Denise Richard suffered a brain injury and his 6-year-old sister lost a leg.[15][16][17] Another of the three dead is 29-year-old Krystle M. Campbell, a restaurant manager from Arlington, Massachusetts.[18][19]
Many victims suffered lower leg injuries and shrapnel wounds, which indicated the devices were low to the ground.[20] Some suffered ruptured eardrums.[20] At least 10 of the injured suffered severed limbs.[6][13][21][22] Two brothers, aged 33 and 31, each lost a leg.[23]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/1st_Boston_Marathon_blast_seen_from_2nd_floor_and_a_half_block_away.jpg/220px-1st_Boston_Marathon_blast_seen_from_2nd_floor_and_a_half_block_away.jpg)
According to the Associated Press, a doctor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center had seen an X-ray of a patient's leg containing "what appears to be small, uniform, round objects throughout it — similar in the appearance to BBs".[24] Doctors described removing “ball-bearing type” metallic beads about two to three millimeters in diameter, a little larger than a BB, and more than a dozen small carpenter-type nails about a centimeter to an inch long.[25]
Local hospitals reported that they were treating numerous injuries, some of them severe. Eight hospitals report that they have treated or are treating at least 124 people. Of those, at least 15 were in critical condition as of April 16.[26] Over 100 were being treated at various facilities.[6] 22 of the injured were treated at Massachusetts General Hospital,[27][28] 24 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,[29] 10 at Boston Children's Hospital,[30] 9 at Tufts New England Medical Center,[7] about 20 at Brigham and Women's Hospital,[31][4] and 20 at Boston Medical Center.[4]
Security
Officials swept the area twice before the explosions, including once just an hour before the bombs went off. People were able to come and go freely, and carry items in and out of the area.[32]
Responses
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/2013_Boston_Marathon_explosions_aftermath_emergency_services.jpg/220px-2013_Boston_Marathon_explosions_aftermath_emergency_services.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Boston_Marathon_explosions_%288652971845%29.jpg/220px-Boston_Marathon_explosions_%288652971845%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Hazmat_biohazard_team_at_Boston_Marathon_near_the_finish_line_07.jpeg/220px-Hazmat_biohazard_team_at_Boston_Marathon_near_the_finish_line_07.jpeg)
Rescue workers, bystanders, and runners rushed to try to help the wounded in the immediate aftermath. The marathon was abruptly halted. Police, following emergency plans, diverted the remaining runners away from the finish line to Boston Common or Kenmore Square.[2][33][34] The nearby Lenox Hotel was also evacuated.[2] Police closed down a 15-block area around the blast site.[12] Massachusetts National Guard units already on scene joined local authorities in rendering aid.[2] Bomb squads searched the area.[6] Many bystanders had dropped backpacks and other bags as they fled, requiring each to be treated as a potential bomb.[12] The police commissioner, Ed Davis, strongly recommended people to stay off the streets.[12]
As a precaution, the FAA restricted airspace over Boston, and issued a ground stop for Boston's Logan International Airport.[35][36][37] Some Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service was halted.[9] Several cities in Massachusetts and beyond put their police forces on alert.[38]
United States Attorney General Eric Holder directed that the "full resources" of the United States Department of Justice be brought to bear on investigating the explosions.[2] In New York City, counter-terrorism vehicles were deployed to landmark sites in Manhattan.[8]
The New York Police Department increased security at hotels, Times Square, and other places.[12][39] Security was also increased in Washington, D.C., and the White House was partially evacuated,[2] while it was being cordoned off by the United States Secret Service.[40]
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency suggested people trying to contact those in the vicinity use text messaging, instead of voice calls, because of crowded phone lines.[9] The Red Cross is helping concerned friends and family receive information about runners and casualties.[41]
Cell phone service in Boston was congested but still in operation.[42] The Boston Police Department set up a helpline for people concerned about relatives or acquaintances to contact and a line for people to provide information.[43] Google Person Finder activated their disaster service under Boston Marathon Explosions to log known information about missing persons as a publicly viewable file.[44] The Navy sent one of its bomb-disposal units to Boston to assist local authorities.[45]
Other explosive devices
During a news conference on April 16, Governor Deval Patrick said there were "only two explosive devices", the two that exploded.[46] Initial reports conflicted over whether additional bombs were found, with numerous suspicious packages or bags initially discovered.[47][8][48][49][50][4] The Boston Police Bomb Squad performed a controlled explosion of one of the packages on the 600 block of Boylston Street.[51][unreliable source?]
Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the attack along with the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Counterterrorism Center,[52] is treating the bombings as a terrorist attack, though no perpetrator has officially been identified.[8][53]
Boston police commissioner Edward Davis said at a 6 p.m. press conference on April 15, "There is no suspect in custody."[54] Though not treated as suspects, several people who were near the scene of the blast and the surrounding area were taken into custody and questioned about the bombings, including a Saudi man tackled by a suspicious civilian and brought to police.[55][56]
Early in the morning on April 16, law enforcement officials searched a residence in the nearby Boston suburb of Revere, home to a Saudi man, considered a "person of interest", who was injured by shrapnel.[57][8][58][59] Some investigators left the residence carrying brown paper bags, plastic trash bags, and a duffel bag.[60] The Washington Post reported that the individual was being treated as a witness, not a suspect, by law enforcement.[61] The New York Times also reported that a law enforcement official said that investigators had determined the man had no involvement in the attack.[62]
United States government officials stated that there had been no intelligence reports that indicated such a bombing would take place. Representative Peter King, member of the Intelligence Committee, was quoted as saying, "I received two top secret briefings last week on the current threat levels in the United States, and there was no evidence of this at all."[63]
Police are searching for a Penske rental van and for a hooded man who left the area before the explosions.[64]
A person who was briefed on the investigation said at least one of the devices was made from a pressure cooker filled with metal objects, placed in a backpack.[65][66][67][68] According to English-language terror magazine Inspire, a pressure-cooker bomb is a preferred weapon of al-Qaeda.[69]
Reactions
Local
As a precaution, the National Hockey League postponed a Boston Bruins hockey home game against the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden scheduled for the day of the bombing to a future date.[70][71] The National Basketball Association cancelled a Boston Celtics basketball home game scheduled for the next day (April 16) against the Indiana Pacers also at TD Garden and would not be played as both teams' playoff seedings were already set.[70][71] The Boston Symphony Orchestra cancelled their performance that night..[72]
National
President Barack Obama addressed the nation three hours after the attack.[73] He said that, while the perpetrator(s) were still unknown, the government would "get to the bottom of this" and that those responsible "will feel the full weight of justice".[74] The President again addressed the American people the next day.
Speaker John Boehner ordered that flags outside the U.S. Capitol be lowered to half-staff.[75] The flag on the White House was lowered to half staff the next day as well. President Obama also issued a proclamation ordering flags to half-staff through April 20 on all federal buildings as "a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on April 15, 2013, in Boston, Massachusetts."[76]
A minute of silence was observed at the openings of the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and NYMEX the next day.[77]
International
Organizers of the forthcoming London Marathon, planned for April 21, reviewed security arrangements for their event, despite no specific threats against the event.[78] Security measures have been increased worldwide as a response to the explosions in Boston.[79] The Canadian Consulate in Boston, located approximately 820 feet (250 m) from the Boston Marathon finish line, was put into lockdown and all calls were redirected to Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) in Ottawa. All staff were accounted for.[80]
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is ready to help the US authorities with the investigation into the blasts. Putin also called for the international community to join forces against terrorism.[81] According to sports minister Vitaly Mutko, the Boston bombings are "a serious warning bell" to Russia, which is about to hold several international sports events in the near future, including the 2014 Winter Olympics, and that special attention will be paid to security at those events.[82]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Boston Marathon explosions: What we know this morning (updated)". Al.com. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Levs, Josh (April 15, 2013). "Deadly bombs strike Boston Marathon; authorities discover more bombs". CNN. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ Finn, Peter (April 16, 2013). "In Boston attack, a reminder of the difficulty in foiling terrorist plots". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Levs, Josh (April 16, 2013). "Terrorism strikes Boston Marathon as bombs kill 3, wound scores". CNN. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
{{cite news}}
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- ^ a b c d Abel, David; Silva, Steve; Finucane, Martin (April 15, 2013). "Explosions rock Boston Marathon finish line; dozens injured". The Boston Globe (Boston.com ed.). Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ a b Winter, Michael (April 15, 2013). "Deaths, injuries reported after Boston Marathon blasts". USA Today. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Winter, Jana. "At least 2 dead, dozens injured after huge explosions rock Boston Marathon". Fox News Channel. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e McClam, Erin (April 15, 2013). "Explosions rock finish of Boston Marathon; 2 killed and at least 23 hurt, police say". NBC News. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ "Explosions at Boston Marathon Injure Dozens". National Post. April 15, 2013.
- ^ CNN video replay
- ^ a b c d e "Boston Marathon Blasts Kill 3 and Maim Dozens". New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ a b Sherwell, Philip; Swain, John (April 15, 2013). "Boston Marathon explosions: two dead, 23 injured as 'bombs' hit race finish line". UK: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ Maresca, Cara. "Patriots' Day: Waco, Oklahoma City, Columbine, and now Boston". MSNBC. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ "Death of terror's tiniest victim called 'surreal,' 'tragic'". CNN.com. September 11, 2001. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Arsenault, Mark (April 15, 2013). "Three killed, more than 100 injured in marathon blast". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ "3 Dead, At Least 130 Hurt In Explosions At Boston Marathon Finish Line". WBZ-TV. April 15, 2013.
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/second-boston-marathon-victim-identified-krystle-campbell-174401374.html
- ^ Lavidor-Berman, Adrienne (April 16, 2013). "Live blog: Bombings at the Boston Marathon". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ a b "FBI takes over investigation, seeking suspects, motives in Boston bombings". Central Florida News 13. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Goldstein, Sasha (April 15, 2013). "Boston Marathon explosions kill two, injure dozens; Two more devices found and are being dismantled". Daily News. NY. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ "Officials: 144 injured, 3 dead, as two huge blasts rock Boston Marathon finish line". The Boston Herald. April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Wen, Patricia (April 16, 2013). "Brothers watching Boston Marathon each lose a leg". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Memmott, Mark (March 16, 2013). "Boston Marathon Explosions: Latest Developments : The Two-Way : NPR". NPR. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
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- ^ Golen, Jimmy (April 16, 2013). "Boston Marathon bombing kills 2, injures over 120". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
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- ^ "Boston Marathon Explosion: Headquarters On Lockdown Following Blast Near Race Finish Line". The Huffington Post. April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
- ^ Cochran, Amanda (April 16, 2013). "Hospital emergency chief on Boston Marathon bombing injuries: Lower limb, shrapnel injuries prevalent". CBS News. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ Update, Boston Children's Hospital, April 15, 2013, retrieved April 15, 2013
- ^ "Update on Public Emergency". Brigham and Women's Hospital. April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ "Police: Bomb Sweep One Hour Before Attack". The New York Times. April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
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{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
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{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b "Boston Bruins game postponed, Celtics game canceled". USA Today. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ a b Morton, Victor (April 15, 2013). "Boston Bruins' NHL game, Celtics' NBA contest cancelled in blast aftermath". The Washington Times. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
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- ^ "Explosions hit Boston Marathon". BBC. April 15, 2013.
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: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
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- ^ Katz, Gregory (April 16, 2013). "London to review marathon security". TV3. NZ. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
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- ^ "Russia offers to help probe Boston blasts". News24. April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
External links
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- "Statement from the Boston Athletic Association Monday, April 15, 2013 8:00 p.m. ET." (Archive)
- BBC News: Boston Bombs
- Reuters: Boston Marathon Explosion Live
- CNN: Boston Marathon Bombings
- The Guardian: Boston marathon blasts
- The New York Times: The Lede: Explosions at the Boston Marathon
- Boston.com: Bombings at the Boston Marathon
- Videos
- Reuters TV: Video shows moment of deadly explosion at finish line of Boston Marathon
- Reuters TV: Two blasts hit Boston Marathon finish line, at least 3 killed, more than 100 wounded
- Reuters TV: Boston attack: probing the devices and destruction
- The Guardian: Boston marathon: the moment of the explosions
- Current events from April 2013
- 2013 in Massachusetts
- 2013 murders in the United States
- 21st-century explosions
- Boston Marathon
- Copley Square
- Filmed deaths in sports
- History of Boston, Massachusetts
- Improvised explosive device bombings in the United States
- Murder in Massachusetts
- Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2013
- Murdered American children