The peace of a historic and festive event was shattered Monday when two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people, including an 8-year-old, and injuring at least 130 more.
The near-simultaneous blasts shattered windows and sent runners and onlookers fleeing through curtains of thick gray smoke. Police and emergency personnel rushed to aid casualties lying on the blood-stained pavement.
Eight children were among the injured.
No one claimed credit for the carnage in the city known as the Cradle of Liberty on the day celebrated as Patriots Day, and law enforcement authorities were reluctant to characterize the attack. But the bombings immediately drew fears that terrorists were responsible. As many as five other explosive devices were reported to have been found in the city.
“We still do not know who did this, and people should not jump to conclusions before we have all of the facts,” President Barack Obama said in a brief nationally televised appearance. “But make no mistake: We will get to the bottom of this, and we will find out who did this. We’ll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”
Obama was briefed by homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco, FBI Director Robert Mueller and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Obama said that he’d ordered security heightened around the United States “as necessary” and vowed that whoever was responsible for the explosions would be tracked down. Although he declined to call the explosions a terrorist attack, the FBI had taken over the lead in the investigation.
But Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Fox News that he believed the bombings had “all the hallmarks of an act of terrorism.”
Authorities in New York and Washington tightened security in the wake of the blasts.
Boston-area hospitals reported many victims of the blasts to be in critical condition with blast injuries to their arms and legs. At least 10 amputations were reported. The closest hospital to the bomb site, Massachusetts General Hospital, was treating 22 victims, including six in critical condition, said spokeswoman Kristen Chadwick.
