# Explosions at finish line of Boston Marathon - many serious injuries, poss. fatalities



## Carol (Apr 15, 2013)

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...eard-near-finish-line-of-boston-marathon?lite

Boston EMS has dispatched all ambulances to finish line.  All agencies in the area are being polled for K9 units.  

Victims to be removed from the scene, then EOD (bomb squad) will sweep the streets, then evacuation will begin of the people in the surrounding gathering places.  

Its a horrible day in Boston


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## granfire (Apr 15, 2013)

holy crap! 

many prayers. 
This is getting pretty ridiculous!


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## Carol (Apr 15, 2013)

[yt]H4Mx5qbgeNo[/yt]


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## Carol (Apr 15, 2013)

One unexploded IED is being exploded near the initial explosion site by EOD

All off-duty responders are being ordered in.

Mutual Aid EOD team is being staged.


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## granfire (Apr 15, 2013)

"if it was done by terrorists"

YES, stupid lady on TV. It was done by terrorists, as it is terrorizing people when you blow them up n a Monday afternoon!


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## Carol (Apr 15, 2013)

Another explosion has been confirmed at the JFK Library.  Explosion believed to have occurred around the same time as the others.


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## granfire (Apr 15, 2013)

said 2 deaths....


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 15, 2013)

I am waiting for a response form a friend of mine who once ran in the marathon and from time to time goes to watch it. I have no ideas if he or any of his family were there or not but I am still waiting for a response


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## Steve (Apr 15, 2013)

Waiting for more information to come out, but this is very sad.


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 15, 2013)

Fox





> *breaking news:   at least 2 killed, 23 hurt in boston marathon bombing*
> 
> at  least two reported killed, more than 23 injured as two explosive  devices tear through crowded finish line at boston marathon;  intelligence official tells ap that two more devices found by police and  are being dismantled.



cnn





> *police: 2 die in blasts at race*
> 
> *boston hospitals treat 28 people *
> 
> ...



BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22160978


> [h=1]Boston Marathon explosions[/h]                          	    [h=2]Key Points[/h]
> 
> Two explosions at the finish line  of the Boston Marathon have left at least two dead and 23 injured, and  police have found and are dismantling at least two other explosive  devices
> Video and photographs from Boston  show a scene of confusion, with emergency services descending on the  scene and bloodied spectators being taken to a medical tent.
> "There are a lot of people down," said one runner quoted by AP news agency.


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## granfire (Apr 15, 2013)

ABC coverage : Did you see any of the victims?

:barf:


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## ballen0351 (Apr 15, 2013)

Why do reporters feel the need to play who can get the most bloody and painful pictures game.  Have some damn common decency for the person whos leg is hanging off maybe he does not want his picture taken


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## granfire (Apr 15, 2013)

I send ABC a message. I turned off the TV and told them I found it tasteless to ask each eyewitness if they saw the victims.


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## Tgace (Apr 15, 2013)

ballen0351 said:


> Why do reporters feel the need to play who can get the most bloody and painful pictures game.  Have some damn common decency for the person whos leg is hanging off maybe he does not want his picture taken



Kick em when they're up. Kick em when they're down.....

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 15, 2013)

ballen0351 said:


> Why do reporters feel the need to play who can get the most bloody and painful pictures game.  Have some damn common decency for the person whos leg is hanging off maybe he does not want his picture taken



It's called 'news'. Some of the most emotional images I've seen, from wars, and other tragedies, are of this type.

For me, I could never take those shots myself, as I'm in agreement with you.  But, personally I'd rather have that discussion another time.


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## jezr74 (Apr 15, 2013)

We were at Coolidge corner with the kids cheering on the runners, and were talking about how great a family event it is to watch and the atmosphere was fantastic. We heard the bang from there.

Of the two fatalities, one was an eight year old. Breaks your heart to think people are capable of this.

Thoughts are with the families.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD


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## Carol (Apr 15, 2013)

Some of the runners ran directly to Mass. General to give blood after the blasts.  I can't imagine donating after a strain like that.  Good job folks.


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## Tgace (Apr 15, 2013)

If you are snapping photos instead of applying tourniquets you are a piece of ****.


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## granfire (Apr 15, 2013)

Tgace said:


> If you are snapping photos instead of applying tourniquets you are a piece of ****.




Even the picture takers have a role in this. 
because some time down the road there will be the chasm between a person having a nick from a shard of glass, and the person having a limb blown off by the explosion. The pictures will serve as reminder what it means  when the statistics say 133 injured, some severe.....or critical. 
As the images from the battled fields point out that a violent death is not pretty or glamorous. It's just dirty, disgusting and best avoided!


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## Master Dan (Apr 15, 2013)

Sad to say that a group from the Sandy Hook masacare was there and experienced the blast and people. Good news is none of them hurt but can you imagine the PTSD from it all what are the odds they would be near another mass attack that soon?


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## Cyriacus (Apr 15, 2013)

Wow. Ok. I just saw this on the news.

What i wanna know is, why there? I mean, what was the goal? If it was just to take out some innocents i can think of better targets. Why this place and these people?


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## jezr74 (Apr 15, 2013)

Cyriacus said:


> Wow. Ok. I just saw this on the news.
> 
> What i wanna know is, why there? I mean, what was the goal? If it was just to take out some innocents i can think of better targets. Why this place and these people?



It's a big event here, it's Patriots day, it's the first day of the school holidays as well.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 15, 2013)

jezr74 said:


> It's a big event here, it's Patriots day, it's the first day of the school holidays as well.



And there are runners from a few other countries there as well.


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## elder999 (Apr 15, 2013)

Cyriacus said:


> Wow. Ok. I just saw this on the news.
> 
> What i wanna know is, why there? I mean, what was the goal? If it was just to take out some innocents i can think of better targets. Why this place and these people?


The turnaround from the Boston Marathon, circa 1776-Paul Revere's Ride:View attachment $551511_10201030023772298_1395932915_n.jpg


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## jezr74 (Apr 15, 2013)

Xue Sheng said:


> And there are runners from a few other countries there as well.



That's right, over 90 countries participate at different levels.


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## arnisador (Apr 15, 2013)

Tgace said:


> If you are snapping photos instead of applying tourniquets you are a piece of ****.



There is value in documenting what happened--for evidence but also for posterity. There are many iconic photos of tragedies that serve an educational purpose. But yeah, it's also easy to just be an opportunistic jerk.


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## Makalakumu (Apr 15, 2013)

arnisador said:


> There is value in documenting what happened--for evidence but also for posterity. There are many iconic photos of tragedies that serve an educational purpose. But yeah, it's also easy to just be an opportunistic jerk.



Personally, it would feel completely unnatural for me to pull out my cell phone and take a picture of a person bleeding out at my feet.  

Anyway, I feel sick about this tragedy.  These kinds of things tend to reverberate through our society as they take trips through the echo chamber.


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## Cyriacus (Apr 15, 2013)

jezr74 said:


> It's a big event here, it's Patriots day, it's the first day of the school holidays as well.



Ah, i see.



Xue Sheng said:


> And there are runners from a few other countries there as well.



And now it makes sense.

And Elder: We can only hope that the crowds dont get that low in future events. Thats the thing with terrorism. Everyone was there enjoying the marathon, now alot of those people might not go to the next marathon. Or the next one. Or the next one.


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## Cyriacus (Apr 15, 2013)

arnisador said:


> There is value in documenting what happened--for evidence but also for posterity. There are many iconic photos of tragedies that serve an educational purpose. But yeah, it's also easy to just be an opportunistic jerk.



I think someone else said something similar, but photos can bridge the gap between "X people were killed" and "This is what someone whos been blown up looks like. Think about it". However, if it were me, taking photos is the thing id do only after emergency services took over for people such as myself whod be trying to help out.


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## Carol (Apr 15, 2013)

The BPD is asking anyone with videos of the blast to submit them.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 16, 2013)

In a situation like this, my usefullness to those injured is minimal. I'm not trained, and 2+ decades past my limited boy scout first aid training. I can put pressure on a wound, I can call for help, I can follow instructions from someone who does know what to do.  
Assuming I were there, and in a position to photograph, I have no idea what to shoot. I'd probably be in shock myself.

But people in a position to do so can be of use. Documenting the tragedy for history, or just maybe catching something that helps the investigation. Photographers, real photographers, not the guys taking snapshots or blurry video, see things differently. We look for the unusual, the out of place, the weird. We look from different angles.  

Assuming I was in a position to shoot, I'd try to capture a 360 series around me. Try to think like a forensics photographer, though I' tainted by too much CSI TV and not enough CSI training. I'd try to stay out of the way.  

The reality is, I'd probably need to change my pants.

But if I had video/photos I'd make sure there were copies in the hands of the investigators.

The people who could help, who get in the way, who cause problems....just to get a 'money shot'...F em.


===


Death toll's now up to 3 I saw. Over 100 injured.  Hospitals picking ball bearings out of people.  5-6 explosives found (including the 3 that went off).  Conflicting reports on suspects and descriptions.  IED's were small, designed for grapeshot dispersal, brutal things, tore people to shreds.  Law enforcement and military mobilized, other cities on high alert.


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## Sukerkin (Apr 16, 2013)

With the recent tragedy in my own life I am a bit of an emotional wreck regardless but I came across this and it moved me to tears:


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## celtic_crippler (Apr 16, 2013)

Pictures of the legless guy are all over the internet. Im not sure if it will remind people of anything in the future other than it being a tragic event. People perceive things differently. 

For example: two people can view the old photo of the little girl with napalm burns from Vietnam and one will see the horrific result of a failed war for profit and another will simply see collateral damage unavoidable in war. Both may find the photo tragic, but other than that the meaning it has for them will vary. 

Im interested to see who gets blamed for the attack and what the repercussions will be. 

Of course, if you believe former representative Cynthia McKinney [D] the governments behind it. 

From her Twitter account:


> The pattern is becoming too, too familiar. So, Boston cops were having a bomb squad drill on the same day as the marathon?


 
Yup, she tweeted that. 

Terrorist organizations have typically been quite boastful in the past, but Ive heard nothing from the Middle Eastern factions. 

Some are speculating white supremacists and Ive even seen some fingers pointed at the Tea Party. 

Perhaps it will end up being a single person with mental illness. Wont that be interesting to see played out? A veteran perhaps? Timothy McVeigh was a vet.


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## Tgace (Apr 16, 2013)

My wifes cousin (female) finished the Boston in 3:33...minutes ahead of the blast (8 min mile average..thats kick ***). Thank God her husband and kids were not near the blasts.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 16, 2013)

Heard from my friend neither he nor any of his family was there this year


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## Catalyst (Apr 16, 2013)

Prayers from New York to everyone in Boston.


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## ballen0351 (Apr 16, 2013)

Sukerkin said:


> With the recent tragedy in my own life I am a bit of an emotional wreck regardless but I came across this and it moved me to tears:
> 
> View attachment 17847



Love this


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## ballen0351 (Apr 16, 2013)

They were talking to some defense expert from Israel on the radio today he was saying that in his country after attack they try to get the wall repainted area cleaned up and everything back to normal in 6 hours.  I have no clue of that's true or not but that seemed like a perfect way to show these cowards you can't hurt us we are to strong for that.    He was saying here in the US they will talk about on news for weeks hold fundraisers for Boston restrict even more freedoms for safety sake and the terrorist wins.  I tend to agree with him.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 16, 2013)

Not a bad idea...of course Israel would be pretty sure it was any number of terrorist groups that regularly attack and in 6 hours the terrorist group would already have taken credit for the attack....and 6 hours would be a good idea ...unless you are doing a crime scene investigation...then 6 hours might be a bit to quick.

Can't really judge us by Israel standards since they tend to not have as many freedoms as we have here already


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## granfire (Apr 16, 2013)

But as soon as they reopen the street there will be three memorials and 140+ candles and stuff. Before the next race a plaque with be mounted on the wall....not much in the way of painting and forget it.....
We will only be allowed to forget it when the next, _bigger_ thing gets blown up....

but honestly, the lack of claims to this event makes me think it's a homespun 'effort'. 
Our Middle Eastern friends are only too eager to brag (and collect their paychecks) to dawdle around. In OKC they didn't know at first either....


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## Tgace (Apr 18, 2013)

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/17/6-awesome-people-helping-boston-marathon-victims/ 

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## Carol (Apr 18, 2013)

There are a lot of awesome stories like that.   As some of you folks know, I work very closely with first responders in the City of Boston.  Around 7:15pm or so, one of the supervisors said over the radio "There's food here, and lots of it," my boss [an area firefighter] looked at me, and said if they are taking a break, then I can too.  Translation: go home while you can!  
:redcaptur

There were a lot of other stories about people reaching out to those who weren't injured, but in a bad spot -- locked out of their hotel, their apartment, or otherwise had no place to stay.  People were taking strangers in to their home and treating them like family, offering them food and drink, etc.  What was particularly touching was reading some of the reaction from marathoners that were here from foreign countries that were houseguests in an American home for the first time.   One was floored beyond belief that someone would not only take them in with their bad English, but also provide dinner, wine, and offer up their own bed.


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