Re: Explosions reported near finish line at Boston Marathon
Two killed, more than 100 injured in Boston Marathon finish line explosions; President Obama promises justice for perpetrators.....
Two people were killed and more than 100 people were injured this afternoon as two powerful explosions detonated in quick succession near the Boston Marathon finish line in Boston’s Back Bay section, transforming a scene of athletic celebration into bloody chaos.
President Barack Obama promised that whoever set off the explosives would be found and brought to justice.
“We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts,” he told reporters shortly after 6 p.m. “But make no mistake. we will get to the bottom of this ... Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.”
The blast came on Patriots Day, Obama noted, which is a state holiday in Massachusetts that celebrates the beginning of the American Revolution.
Asked if the explosions were a terrorist act, Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said, “We’re not being definitive on this right now, but you can reach your own conclusions based on what happened.”
No suspects have been arrested in the explosions, Davis said. “We’re questioning many people, but there is no one in custody at this point,” he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it had implemented a no-fly zone around an area of Boston at the request of law enforcement officials and temporarily stopped planes on the ground at Logan International Airport to change the runway configuration.
Davis said the attacks had occurred without warning. “There was no specific intelligence,” he said.
Davis, the police commissioner, said the two explosions had happened 50 to 100 yards apart at about 2:50 p.m.
MacDonald said that one explosion had happened in front of the Marathon Sports store at 671-673 Boylston and the windows were blown out at a LensCrafters store, where “the sidewalk is loaded with blood.”.....snip~
Explosions rock Boston Marathon finish line; dozens injured - Boston.com