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[Natalcya Katla]

This is awful.

[Vikarion]

How can one human being willingly do this to another?

Pretty easily.

[orange]

I found out about the bombings from my wife, checking if my father was running Boston this year (he did last year, but was safe and sound in Texas this year).

My wife heard about the bombings on the radio and almost immediately received a text that her sister was ok.   My sister-in-law, an active duty member of the Massachusetts National Guard, was working in the area only a short distance from where the explosions occurred.  Those responders wearing Army Combat Uniforms in the video are likely soldiers from her unit.

[Karmilla Strife]

As a runner this makes me especially sad.

[Halete]

As a Briton, who never visited Boston in their travels, I'm fortunate enough to not know anybody affected.

That said, I was thinking about this this morning on the commute to work. Just slumped into my seat, brooding about the awfulness of people.

[lallara zhuul]

Thankfully only three dead.

[Aelisha Montenagre]

Former NISYN Bostonians checked in A-okay, but obviously our best wishes go to the injured and our condolences to those who may have lost someone. 

[Wanoah]

I liked this guy:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/78-old-runner-knocked-down-boston-marathon-explosion-064240981.html

"After you've run 26 miles, you're not going to stop there," he said.

Absolutely.

[Bacchanalian]

Apparently one of the three that died was a friend of my best friend from college. 

Also scary--his mother was headed in that direction and if it had happened 30 minutes later would have likely been among the victims.  If his wife and gotten out of work 15 minutes early, she too could have been among the victims.  Hits close to home.

[orange]

Wanoah, I am getting a server hangup when I try to go to the url.

[Wanoah]

Wanoah, I am getting a server hangup when I try to go to the url.

Hopefully just a temporary glitch? Page is still up when I tried the link just now.

Anyway, full text:

Bill Iffrig, a 78-year-old running his third Boston Marathon, was knocked down by the first bomb blast at the end of the finish, but got up to finish the race.

Though he fell to his knees by the force of the blast, stewards helped him to his feet and he walked the short remaining distance to the finish line, as well as a further half a mile to his hotel.

"I got down to within 15 feet of the finish apron and just tremendous explosion," he told CNN.

"The shockwaves hit my whole body and my legs started jittering around. I knew I was going down.

"It was only 5 feet away from me. It was really loud."

Iffrig added that despite the shock, it never occurred to him not to finish the marathon.

"After you've run 26 miles, you're not going to stop there," he said.

In the midst of the horrifying stories emerging from the finish line of the Boston Marathon, Iffrig’s heart-warming moment of bravery has been picked up by American news.

His son, Mark, had been tracking his father’s progress in the race online.

"It's horrible. He said it was quite a concussive blast. He was a little dazed. Someone helped him up," said Mark Iffrig. "He was only about 10 feet from the finish line."

Iffrig paid tribute to his father, describing him as an avid runner.

"He's a hell of a runner," he said. "He's run a lot and he's fast."

[Esna Pitoojee]

Update at 2:45 EDT:

A campus police officer at MIT was killed by multiple gunshots after responding to a disturbance on campus.

Following this, two suspects appear to have hijacked a vehicle and driven it to nearby Watertown, while possibly throwing explosives out the window at pursuing police. One suspect reported in custody.

Police have responded in force - at least 20 cars, 10 vans, 2 DHS armored vehicles, and a helicopter - and are patrolling in squads with weapons drawn. 25+ gunshots, 3 explosions reported - 1 explosion was apparently a controlled detonation.

Police are still searching for something or someone. "Stay inside, do not open for anyone but an officer."

What the fuck.

[Norrin Ellis]

One suspect reportedly dead after shootout with police.  The other still at large.

[Morwen Lagann]

Update at 2:45 EDT:

A campus police officer at MIT was killed by multiple gunshots after responding to a disturbance on campus.

Following this, two suspects appear to have hijacked a vehicle and driven it to nearby Watertown, while possibly throwing explosives out the window at pursuing police. One suspect reported in custody.

Police have responded in force - at least 20 cars, 10 vans, 2 DHS armored vehicles, and a helicopter - and are patrolling in squads with weapons drawn. 25+ gunshots, 3 explosions reported - 1 explosion was apparently a controlled detonation.

Police are still searching for something or someone. "Stay inside, do not open for anyone but an officer."

What the fuck.

Guess who's working from home today. o\

They're using the mall about 3 minutes' walk from the office as a staging area, apparently, and the entire town is on lockdown.

[Wanoah]

Attempting to lock down an entire city is epic tbh. I'd maybe go with unprecedented.