Police Continue to Hunt for Clues as Explosions Leave Three Dead, Dozens Injured
Law enforcement officials are searching for who is responsible for detonating two explosives that killed three people and injured up to 125 near the finish line at the Boston Marathon.
Moments after two explosions occurred on Boylston Street Monday afternoon, panicked runners and spectators began fleeing Copley Square as police quickly cleared the area and locked down the Back Bay.
“All of a sudden everyone turned around and was running in the opposite direction,” said Mary Bickford, 21, of Abington. Bickford was near the finish line when the bombs denoated. “All the runners, all the people cleared out, and police were going toward the finish line.”
Near the finish line, several survivors lay injured, some who had limbs torn off in the explosions. Others were crying as they took in the chaotic scene and first responders rushed in.
Several victims, including an 8-year-old boy who died, were children. Childrens Hospital reported that those treated there included a 9-year-old girl, a 7-year-old boy, a 12-year-old, and a 2-year-old, the Boston Globe reported.
Mass General Hospital said it was treating eight patients in critical condition. Police were stationed at the entrances to the hospital. Brigham and Women’s Hospital received the most, with 26 treated, including two in critical condition, according to the Globe report. Monday night police were questioning a “person of interest” who was among the victims there.
As victims were rushed to area hospitals, police from Boston and surrounding towns not near Copley Square were assembling on the Boston Common to discuss how to proceed.
Around 4 p.m., about an hour and a half after the two explosions, the Boston Police bomb squad staged a controlled blast.
Early Monday evening the FBI said “the situation remains fluid and itremains too early to establish the cause and motivation.”
The FBI has issued a national tip line for any information related to today’s bombings. Anyone with information can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), and select prompt #3.
“No piece of information or detail is too small,” wrote the FBI in the release.
The Park Plaza Castle will again serve as a resource center on Tuesday. Residents and runners can go there for counseling services, to arrange for shelter, find runner belongings and other services.
When 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.”
At a press conference Monday night, President Barack Obama said, “We still do not know who did this or why. People shouldn’t jump to conclusions until we have all the facts… We will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable.”