Cebu_4_2
15th April 2014, 06:37 PM
Boylston Street Evacuated After Backpacks Found at Marathon Finish Line
By M. Alex Johnson and Tom Winter Police, fire and bomb squad crews investigating several unattended backpacks blocked off a city street Tuesday night near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on the anniversary of the bombing that killed three people at the famous race, authorities told NBC News.
As police tape ringed the rainy block, authorities blew up one of the backpacks in a controlled detonation about 8:53 p.m. ET after clearing the area with the signal "Fire in the hole!"
Boston police said on Twitter that a man was in custody in connection with the backpacks. They gave no further details, but witnesses told New England Cable News (http://www.necn.com/04/15/14/Boston-Marathon-finish-line-evacuated-ma/landing.html) that they saw a barefoot man wearing all black with a veil covering his face being put in the back of a police cruiser.
A senior police official told NBC News that the man ran onto Boylston street and threw several backpacks to the ground. Because of the high police presence in the area for the marathon bombing anniversary, the man was captured quickly, the official said.
Boylston Street was closed and the Green Line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was suspended, authorities said. Boston police asked all pedestrians and motorists to avoid the area.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said he was aware of the report and was "hoping it's nothing serious."
Tuesday is the anniversary of the bombings at the marathon last year, which killed three people and injured about 260 others. A ceremony at Old South Church on Boylston Street went ahead as planned Tuesday night.
http://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_16/326316/140415-boston-backpack-jms-2109_8d3ce3728bf16838b2cd70eaf5ff12cd.nbcnews-ux-600-360.jpg WBZ-TV via Reuters
A backpack that was left unattended Tuesday on Boylston Street at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
By M. Alex Johnson and Tom Winter Police, fire and bomb squad crews investigating several unattended backpacks blocked off a city street Tuesday night near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on the anniversary of the bombing that killed three people at the famous race, authorities told NBC News.
As police tape ringed the rainy block, authorities blew up one of the backpacks in a controlled detonation about 8:53 p.m. ET after clearing the area with the signal "Fire in the hole!"
Boston police said on Twitter that a man was in custody in connection with the backpacks. They gave no further details, but witnesses told New England Cable News (http://www.necn.com/04/15/14/Boston-Marathon-finish-line-evacuated-ma/landing.html) that they saw a barefoot man wearing all black with a veil covering his face being put in the back of a police cruiser.
A senior police official told NBC News that the man ran onto Boylston street and threw several backpacks to the ground. Because of the high police presence in the area for the marathon bombing anniversary, the man was captured quickly, the official said.
Boylston Street was closed and the Green Line of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was suspended, authorities said. Boston police asked all pedestrians and motorists to avoid the area.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said he was aware of the report and was "hoping it's nothing serious."
Tuesday is the anniversary of the bombings at the marathon last year, which killed three people and injured about 260 others. A ceremony at Old South Church on Boylston Street went ahead as planned Tuesday night.
http://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_16/326316/140415-boston-backpack-jms-2109_8d3ce3728bf16838b2cd70eaf5ff12cd.nbcnews-ux-600-360.jpg WBZ-TV via Reuters
A backpack that was left unattended Tuesday on Boylston Street at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.