US MEDIA OUTLETS have reported that an eight-year-old boy was killed in this afternoon’s explosions at the Boston Marathon finish line.
Citing two law enforcement sources, the Boston Globe said the child was one of the three confirmed victims.
More than 130 others were injured in the attack and have been treated at area hospitals. It is understood that dozens of the injured have lost limbs.
Boston Children’s Hospital confirmed that it is treating 10 patients.
According to Reuters journalist Edith Honan, the injury list includes leg traumas, fractures and two head injuries to a 14-year-old and a two-year-old.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is treating 20 patients who were injured today. The hospital is currently on lockdown because of what it describes as “an abundance of caution”. This means that no visitors will be allowed into the hospital until further notice. Television reporters have said there are FBI personnel and SWAT teams at the campus.
Reports indicate that there is a possible person of interest being treated at the hospital.
Police chief Ed Davis dismissed rumours that a suspect is in custody.
“There is no suspect at Brigham and Women’s Hospital,” he told a press briefing at The Westin hotel at 1.45am, adding he wanted to “fix” those erroneous reports.
“There are people we are talking to,” he confirmed.
Massachusetts General Hospital is treating 29 adult patients, eight of whom are in a critical condition. The injuries range from cuts and bruises to amputations.
Dr Alisdair Conn, chief of emergency services at Massachusetts General Hospital, told reporters that in his 25 years working at the hospital, he had never seen such “carnage in a civilian population”.
“This is what we expect from war,” he added.
Boston Medical Centre has also received 23 patients from the blasts, most of whom have received lower leg injuries. In a statement, doctors said: “Of those 23, seven are listed in fair condition and the remaining 16 are serious.”
Marathon organisers, Boston Athletic Association, issued a statement this morning to extend its “deepest sympathies” to all those affected by the day’s events.
“Today is a sad day for the City of Boston, for the running community, and for all those who were here to enjoy the 117th running of the Boston Marathon. What was intended to be a day of joy and celebration quickly became a day in which running a marathon was of little importance,” it said.
All runners who were still on the course at the time of the simultaneous explosions have been returned to a community meeting area.
The club thanked “the countless people from around the world who have reached out to support”.
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