Live Blog #2: Boston Marathon Explosions
Posted: April 15, 2013 Filed under: just because 112 CommentsHere’s a new thread to discuss the situation in Boston. I couldn’t stand to watch TV anymore, but I’m listening to live coverage on WBUR (NPR at Boston University). Right now they are inviting people to call in and tell about their experiences.
Logan Airport is now open with strict security. All hospitals in the area are on lockdown–only emergencies should come in.
Breaking news thread is here.
Please post updates in the comment thread.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
grayslady
mablue2
JJ Lopez aka Minkoff Minx
peggysue22
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Well….Authorities ID suspect as Saudi national in marathon bombings, under guard at Boston hospital – NYPOST.com
I don’t know whether to trust the NY Post.
I know what you mean…
Boston Police: No Arrests Have Been Made In Marathon Bombing | TPM LiveWire This goes against that NYpost report…
Wow.
Jane Harman on CNN said the simultaneous nature of the two bombs at the Marathon is a signature of Al-Qaeda. It was a very “well-planned event”.
I don’t know what to think yet. I think we have to be careful.
Don’t forget today is also income tax day–that could be a motive too.
Harman also said it could be a ‘home-grown” attack but her first thought seemed to be Al-Qaeda. I don’t know what to think either. Just reporting what I am hearing.
That war monger should STFU!
CBS is talking about the tax day aspect now.
My mom said she heard someone talking on one of the cable shows, about domestic terrorist like to use days between Apr 15th and Apr 20th to carry out violence…coincides with special right wing nut days…supposedly.
The Dish has some graphic pictures on the site. Lots of blood on the pavement. I know it is upsetting to see, but it does make a point about things. We sometimes get desensitized to the sound of sirens and seeing people running away with horror on their faces. But that image of blood stays with you…a little bit longer.
CBS: Notable lack of “intel chatter” prior to attacks.
I appreciate you posting what you hear on CNN, Beata! I feel I should listen to local coverage, since they will have the latest local news.
I hear you BB……….we’ve got to be careful.
You should put a link in this post to your first breaking news post BB…some people may be just coming home from work and may miss all the information in that thread.
OK
Now they are getting reports of suspicious suitcases in NY.
Also, WBUR reporting that the fire at the JFK library was “probably” an electrical fire and unrelated to the bombs.
CNN said the JFK Library fire is still being investigated as a bomb.
WBUR just had a reporter on who is at the JFK library. He said it was “probably” an electrical fire. There are no signs of damage to the building.
It’s all so chaotic.
Now the Boston Police are saying the JFK Library fire was not a bomb. Thank goodness.
I am hearing the same, not bomb related.
Hi BB, sending good thoughts to your good self and all the other Sky Dancers in the Boston area. I just found out about this, and am heartsick and incredibly pissed off.
We haven’t heard from BackBayStyle yet … you out there Mary?
Thanks, Madamab.
Back Bay Style doesn’t live in Boston anymore, I seem to recall.
That brilliant FBI guy, John Miller, on CBS is just now saying the fact that nobody has taken credit for the bombs indicates that this is more likely a “lone wolf” or a couple of guys, not necessarily an act of an organization like Al-Qaeda. Of course, he says, it’s early on in the investigation.
Only one man was seen on surveillance video. He was placing backpacks in trash cans, reportedly.
Report from Mass General. They have 22 patients, 6 in critical condition. Only one of the 6 has been identified.
There are hundreds of hospitals in Boston, but Mass General may have some of the worst injuries. They can take about 10 more.
Bloomberg TV @BloombergTV 48s
BREAKING: President @BarackObama to speak on Boston Marathon explosions at 6pm ET
Did you know that a bomb went off in Iraq today and killed like 30 people?
http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-bombings-iraq-30-dead-20130415,0,2352247.story
Have you heard any reports of injuries at the JFK Library?
No. As far as I know, there was a small fire and the library closed down.
They are talking to terrorism experts–one from Northeastern was just on, now a woman from Harvard. She says this isn’t a very sophisticated terrorist strike. Unlikely to be a major international terrorist group. It could be a local who has been encouraged by Al Qaeda.
The gist is, this is an unsophisticated attack.
The fact that no one has claimed responsibility could be a clue according to the woman from Northeastern, but woman from Harvard says that’s not clear. It’s too early. She says that since this is the day the American Revolution started, it’s possible that could have motivated a right wing group.
The bombs could have been much more destructive with military grade explosives. I’m betting it’s home-grown.
Yes, an FBI expert on CNN said as destructive as the bombs were, they were not extremely powerful.
Harman keeps jabbering about Al-Qaeda and attacks that could happen elsewhere in the near future. Thank you, Jane.
Jane Harman has no fucking idea what she’s talking about, IMO.
From The Boston Globe Video Footage of both bombs going off:
Police say the NY Post story is utter bullshit. No arrests, no suspects identified.
I think it is a right wing nut myself…but it is early still.
There are a lot of Middle Easterners here–not as many right wing nuts. But it could just as well be just a generic nut.
NYPost: They make up stories, you decide.
Boston Police Now Calling JFK Library Incident ‘Fire Related’
NPR now saying that NY Post story is being confirmed by Jim Miklaszewski–he claims BPD officials are guarding a suspect at a Boston area hospital.
Who knows what to believe?!
Jim Miklaszewski, the Pentagon reporter for NBC?
Yes, thanks. I couldn’t find the spelling. I’ll fix it.
From a TPM update:
The police commissioner just said there are no suspects yet. Those reports are false.
Well, he is a veteran reporter with connections.
An injured 3-year-old has been taken to Children’s Hospital. Brigham and Women’s hospital has more than 50 injured. Some are minor, some have fractures, and some with severe burns and limb injuries. Two in critical condition. They’ve never seen anything like this.
Most of the injured were spectators, not runners. Most are adults but 8-10 children.
CNN: Four children taken to Children’s Hospital.
They’re having another live update. Mayor Menino is in the hospital with a broken leg, but it sounds like he’s either there or on a live feed. The Governor is talking.
Says the area is a crime scene and everyone is in investigation mode. They are saying the JFK explosion is still under investigation.
I heard Mayor Menino again. I wonder if he broke out of the hospital?
Again, they are saying NO SUSPECT in custody. They have interviewed people, but reports of a suspect are FALSE. That’s coming from Boston Police Commissioner. There are police at every hospital and hotel in the city–you shouldn’t read anything into that.
Any untended package is being investigated. They are still searching the area.
Cambridge Police got reports of bombs in Harvard Square, but found nothing. I suppose there will be hundreds of false reports.
Yes, that is bound to happen. Tufts’ ER was evacuated after an untended package was found. Turned out to be nothing dangerous and Tufts’ ER is open again.
BB – I’ve been listening on the radio all afternoon and my heart breaks for the devastation. I’m just so elated that you and yours are all safe. Please keep safe.
On the last broadcast news, one of our great newsman was saying that his SIL was in the race and they were on tenterhooks until she finally texted that she was okay. My son was over and 40 of his friends and acquaintances were in the race – no news yet.
Thanks, HT. This is a really important holiday in Boston, the day of the first shots of the American Revolution. The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest and most elite running events in the world. There were 26,000 runners this year and countless spectators all along the 26-mile route.
Obama will make a statement from the briefing room at 6:10.
There were absolutely no threats or warnings, and bomb sniffing dogs checked the route right before the race.
Obama speaking now.
Obama speaking now. They are monitoring the situation. Saying prayers….
He doesn’t even know today is the day of the shots heard round the world in 1776.
Says we’ll find out who did this and hold them accountable.
That’s what “Freedom Day” is? That being the case, this smells strongly of a domestic asshole.
Significantly, Obama did not call the attacks “terrorism”. CNN says he is showing “caution”.
It’s Patriots Day, April 19, 1776. Not “Freedom Day.”
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.
— Emerson
Celebrated on the 3rd Monday of April…………so it can be on different days.
The official date is April 19th. They started celebrating it on a Monday a few years ago.
That’s the day that the Murrah Bombing happened … patriot’s day.
Isn’t freedom day the day the Brit armies left?
I’d cut him some slack. I think the exact date of this event might be something Bostonians tend to know, and others might know if they learned it trivially or remembered from school?? I don’t think most people keep this day in their conscious thought. I know I don’t.
The POTUS has hundreds of advisers who could explain Patriots Day to him. They could find it on Wikipedia. The first day of the American Revolution is an important day in U.S. history and also significant for militia groups. POTUS should be aware of these facts.
Alex Jones is already ranting that this is a false flag operation. {Sigh…}
I wish he would STFU.
You and more than half the damn world wishes he would stfu
Did you see what Jennifer Ruben said?
Obama not using the word terror………………..FBI says “terrorism”…………………
CNN: A Mass. Rep. in Washington ( Keating? ) says he has been briefed that it was a “sophisticated, coordinated, planned attack”. Also that two unexploded bombs were found.
Runners from 96 countries were in the marathon today.
bb, you’ll find this interesting. The reporter on CBS was saying that his source, a doctor at Brigham and Women’s, said that besides the physical injuries there were lots of people who were completely traumatized over what they saw.
I’m sure there were. I feel traumatized, and I just saw it on TV. It must be seeing this happening in places where I’ve been so many times and am so familiar with.
CNN: FBI calling attacks “terrorism” but do not know if international or “home-grown”.
John Boehner released a statement.
Pass gun control, asshole!
plus, stop trying to block the fbi from searching down right wing terrorist groups that are home grown and stop using hate rhetoric that juices them up!!!
Yes.
WCVB: An 8-year old was among those killed. Heartbreaking.
Oh no!
So very sad.
Around 100 injured. Mass General has several amputations under way right now.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN: Most of the bomb injuries are reported to be “lower limb” injuries.
The finish line of the Boston Marathon is a “soft target.”
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/04/an-explosion-at-the-boston-marathon.html
It is a war zone.
I feel as if I had been in a car accident.
You will feel worse tomorrow when the exact time comes around…and then it stays with you. The date will hit you, you will see 4:15 on the clock during the day…it is almost uncanny how many times you will just happen to look at the clock at exactly 4:15 am or pm. I know how you feel BB. For me it is reminding me of the way I sort of felt when the planes hit the towers. It was worse back in Sept 2001 because there were no injuries, which made us realize that there was a high death toll. Also, I went so long without know if Dan was alive or dead. Horrors.
Oh, and I forgot to say, the exhaustion will hit too. This feeling in your eyes, like a pressure coming from within. Tiredness, but you can’t sleep.
I’m sure what I’m feeling is nothing compared to what you went through JJ. I do feel exhausted, as if I had been in a near miss car accident. It’s probably from adrenalin.
After my dad died, I couldn’t stand to see the word “dead” or “death”. It finally passed but I’m tearing up as I write this just remembering. Like JJ said, trauma is insidious.
Reliving it on TV is horrible. When I stayed with my friend Jane in Omaha during the Katrina thing, I watched CNN and stayed on the sofa with a glazed look for about two weeks.
Latest reports. At Boston Medical Center, there are members of a swat team hanging around outside. Also a report of a bomb at Mass General Hospital. That sounds like a rumor to me.
Five suspicious packages have been located and destroyed.
One thing I’ll say. The fact that we don’t know much yet suggests that this isn’t of the FBI’s fake operations.
Someone post this on twitter, saying the 8-year-old child who died was a girl running in honor of the Newtown victims. The last mile of the race was dedicated to them.
oh, that is so sad … but CNN said it was a boy just now
They are saying “child” now in the news reports. I don’t know what to believe at this point. It’s very confusing.
Alan Colmes @AlanColmes 1m
8-Year-Old Boy One Of The Dead In Boston Bombing http://colm.es/YMsezM #p2
I just want to say that Bostonboomer Rocks – her role here has helped so many of us. There are many great sky dancers, and BB is one of the best. She’s outfront with the issues of the day, and all those issues that impact our daily lives. Thank you dear Bostonboomer.
Yes she does!!!
Thanks so much Fannie. That means so much to me!
Totally agree Fannie. I’ve been following this since it happened and BB has been solidly there, despite her personal shock and grief. She is wonderful. Not that other Skydancers front pages aren’t wonderful – but this is today.
Thank you.
I agree, Fannie. BB keeps us informed every day and she does it with great compassion and insight.
Thank you, BB! Take care.
New thread up top.
All our support in this tragedy, our sincere condolences to the families of the victims.
Stop the violence.