In Boston's Back Bay section, along Boylston Street and the final stretch of the Boston Marathon route, was the location where two 'pressure cooker' bombs were set off, causing loss of life and injury, but also triggering immediate first-aid response and one of the biggest manhunts in the country by Friday of that week. This waymark will focus on the scene where the bombs were set off. Subsequent waymarks hopefully will be added (myself or others) that will provide a more complete story.
The Location
There were two bombs set off. In less than two weeks (and a major effort to literally scour and scrub the area for clues and cleanup) not a lot remains of what happened.
The first bomb was set off on the north side of Boylston Street, across the street from the entrance to the Boston Public Library. It was in front of the Marathon Sports Store (ironically enough). As of 4/25/13, what remain as evidence are plywood doors over windows in the building next door, and new concrete laid Wednesday (4/24). Perhaps there were marks on the sidewalk, but it could have been marks from 'Dig Safe' for a DPW project. The finish painted on Boylston Street was there, but greatly faded - which is unusual since it was freshly painted for the event last week.
The second bomb was set off on the same side of the street about a block up near 755 Boylston Street, across the street from the Lord & Taylor store and near a Crate and Barrel store which has semi-circular windows. In fact, it is difficult to determine exactly where it was. The store to the east has plywood boarding, but that could have been there previously.
Background
For those not familiar with the Patriots Day festivities, here is a short summary. The Boston Marathon, started on April 19, 1897, the oldest continuing marathon event and second oldest foot race event in the world. It was inspired by the revival of the Olympics in Athens, Greece, which included a marathon run. The race has continued every year since, crowning many winners and inspiring future ones. It is probably the most watched annual marathon, with so many people lining the streets the full distance and television cameras following all the way. It may also be one of the most run. In addition to the officially registered runners that have to meet pretty stringent qualifying times, thousands of others run for charities and others just jump in.
Patriots Day is a Massachusetts (and Maine) special holiday that commemorates the day when the "Shot was heard round the world" at the Battles of Lexington and Concord that started the American Revolutionary War.
Events that Day
It was a near perfect day to run, though a little cool. So, this year, records were not expected to be broken. The starts are staggered according to divisions. men's division started at 9:00 am, and by a little after 12:00 noon, the winners were pronounced in all the divisions. That left the rest of the runners to run against their personal goals. TV coverage stopped soon after the winners were pronounced, and I changed to another channel to watch.
My wife then called from another part of the house to switch back to the channel that was covering the race - a bomb had exploded. As we watched, the events were related - over and over again. At 2:49 that afternoon two bombs had gone off, fifteen seconds apart, one 100 feet from the finish line, and one about a block further west along the route. Smoke billowed out and up, obscurring what happened. Then the pictures of people reacting, being treated, taken to the hospital, speculations, and so on into the night.
Three had died from the event, and it was reported that over 270 people were injured, many badly. The three included 8 year old Martin Richard from the Dorchester neighborhood, killed in the second blast, 29 yr old Krystle Campbell of Medford, and Lu Lingzi a Boston University student from China.
However, other stories were being told of the response to huge need for help. People had certainly been scared from the noise and confusion. But, as many who had cleared the area, many more rushed in - most not first responders - who disregarded their own safety to provide immediate first aid to those who in need. Add to that, there were Red Cross tents with medical staff there feet away. Add to that, Boston is blessed with so many top grade hospitals. The result was that lives were saved and timely first aid was given to minimize other injuries. Still, many were in serious condition and their recoveries and adjustments will take years.
Summary of Events Afterwards
Events went relatively quickly after the initial event. The shock wore off to mostly anger and resolve. This became manifested in the mantra, "We are Boston. We are Strong. We are Boston Strong." An NPR radio program produced in Boston reported on the event and related how then unkown perpetrators had picked the wrong event and city. The event is about people breaking barriers and achieving their personal best. Patriots Day is about local people giving their oppressors hell. Then, Colbert on the Colbert Report (catch it on U-Tube or something else) had an incredible commentary on the event and the people who make up the city. Boylston Street was sealed off and for about a week, the FBI went over every scrap and square inch. Impromptu memorials were started at either end and people started making offerings. Then, Thursday afternoon, images of the suspects' faces were released and the manhunt began. That night, an MIT security officer lost his life and a gun fight between police and the suspects happened in the suburb of Watertown, killing one of the suspects. On Friday, Watertown, Boston and several other communities were in 'lockdown' mode, while a huge manhunt was underway. I had to stay home because the entire MBTA service, including commuter rail, bus, and subway service had been shut down. That night, he was found in a boat, in bad shape. He was taken to the hospital and is now recovering, but has been arrested and charged. One week later, I participated in a moment of silence in the City of Boston at 2:49 pm. On Wednesday, Copley Square was reopened to the public. I visited both Wednesday and Thursday to the locations where the bombs were set off, and to Copley Square where the memorials were relocated.
The initial photos are from Thursday (4/25) of this week.
Now, effort is on trying to put together the story. So far, it appears that the two, brothers, were of Chechnyan descent but were now U.S. naturalized citizens. One was attending classed at U. Mass. Dartmouth, and the other was doing odd jobs. The elder brother may have become involved in fundamentalist Muslim religious activities and may have been trained to make bombs, changed his attitude, and involved his brother in it. The general idea is that they carried pressure cooker bombs in backpacks, then dropped each pack in place and later detonated them remotely.
More stories come in about the resolve of the people touched by the events. London's marathon was a week later. One of the wheelchair runners pondered not going, then said that she decided that she had to go to show that she can't be swayed by such tactics. She also said that she would be back in Boston to race again to be an inspiration to those who find themselves now also needing wheelchairs. Other tales of heroism have been told. This was perhaps the saddest moment in Boston's recent history, yet it showed how big a heart it has when required. And then there is its strong righteous anger and resolve to bring justice to those who seek to hurt.
This is the latest. I plan to update this page periodically.
WE ARE BOSTON
WE ARE STRONG
WE ARE BOSTON STRONG
Sources:
Boston Herald (Terror in Boston: Timeline):
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Boston Athletic Association:
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visit link)
Wikipedia (Boston Marathon):
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visit link)