2nd Victim Of Boston Marathon Bombing Identified [VIDEO]
President Obama will visit Boston on Thursday to attend an interfaith service as the investigation continues into Monday's Boston Marathon explosions that injured 176 and left 3 dead.
No details about the service or the President's visit have been released which was announced at a late afternoon press conference.
Boston University has announced that a BU graduate student is third victim of the explosion but would not release the student's name or nationality according to WCVB TV. Officials at the press conference said next-of-kin of the third victim had not yet been notified. BU says the student was with two friends who were watching the race at the finish line, not far from the university's campus. One of the friends, also a grad student at the university, was injured and is at Boston Medical Center in stable condition.
The FBI confirmed the fact that the bombs were in explosive devices and that black vinyl was found on the ground near where they went off but did not reveal much else about their investigation. They reiterated that no specific threat was made about the Marathon and no group has stepped forward to take credit.
Boston Police Commissioner says they have received a lot of pictures and video from the public and special FBI teams are coming to Boston to review the footage.
Governor Duvall Patrick (D) said the National Guard will be present in Boston for the forseeable future.
"A Wonderful, Wonderful Girl'
The second victim of the explosions has been identified as a 29-year-old woman from Medford, Massachusetts, Krystle Campbell who was at the race to cheer on her boyfriend running the race and had brought along a friend to take a picture as he crossed the finish line.
The friend was seriously injured in the explosion.
"My daughter was the most lovable girl. She helped everybody and I'm just so shocked right now. We're just devastated," her father William A. Campbell told Yahoo! News. "She was a wonderful, wonderful girl. Always willing to lend a hand."
William did not know if the boyfriend finished the race.
Bomb In A Pressure Cooker
CBS News reports one of the bombs, classified as "low explosive" was inside a metal pressure cooker and then into a black nylon bag or back pack. Pieces of an electronic circuit board were found meaning that the explosive was detonated with a timer.
The bomb was filled with BBs,nails and ball bearings. Dr. George Velmahos, the chief of trauma surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, says doctors removed "a variety of sharp objects," including pellets and nails, from the wounds of victims.
Only Two Bombs
At a morning briefing Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick (D) no unexploded bombs were found in Copley Square. He says the only explosives were the ones that went off Monday. FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers says that there is no imminent danger to the public of further explosions and described the investigation as being "worldwide."
Police and law enforcement continued to refuse questions about specific aspects of the investigation including possible suspects. They did say no one in custody is linked to the bombings.
President Obama has ordered flags lowered to half staff at the White House and all federal buildings.
Terror was brought to the city of Boston, Mayor Says
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino in said, "Terror was brought to the city of Boston" and thanked the first responders and those who immediately began to help after the bombs went off.
State police warned that Boston will have an enhanced police presence in the coming days.
Police are also looking for photos and video taken at the time of the explosion. Davis called it "the most photographed area of the country" during the marathon. Anyone something to submit should call 1(800)CALLFBI. Please include the time of the video or photo.
Meanwhile, WCVB TV reports that the Copley Square area was swept for bombs twice before the runners came through and turned up nothing.
A Visit To An Apartment In Revere
WBZ TV reports that Massachusetts State Police converged on an apartment in nearby Revere but would not say why or what they were looking for other than to say it is in connection with the bombings. Investigators were seen leaving with brown paper bags, plastic trash bags and a duffel bag.
The roommate of the Saudi Arabian man tells the Boston Globe “I don’t think he could do that." The man is described as a devout Muslim who is 20-years-old and is attending an English language school.
Revere Fire Department on its Facebook page posted that they were going to assist with the search for a "person of interest."
Police later said the man was actually a victim and was co-operating with investigators.
Doctors treating victims have removed what some described as ball bearings from their bodies. Dr. Stephen Epstein of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center tells WCVB TV that one victim had "what appears to be small, uniform round objects throughout it - similar in the appearance to BBs."
Federal investigators said no one had claimed responsibility for the devastating attack on one of the city's most famous civic holidays, Patriots Day. Two explosive devices went off within 15 seconds of each other in the finish line area in Copley Square at 2:45 p.m. following the running of the Boston Marathon.
U.S. Rep. William Keating, a member of the congressional Homeland Security Committee, says the twin bombs appear to be a coordinated attack according to WCVB TV.
An 8-Year-Old Victim
Numerous media outlets identify one of the victims of the blast as 8-year-old Martin Richard. His mother and sister were seriously injured in the explosions as well according to WCVB TV which reports his family placed a single candle in the window of their Dorchester home last night
Those who work in Boston are encouraged to report as usual but should expect heightened security and checkpoints. The MBTA subway will not be stopping in Copley Square. Flights are coming in-and-out of Boston's Logan Airport as usual but tonight's Celtics game at Boston Garden against the Indiana Pacers has been cancelled.
New Englanders who already had a tax-filing deadline of today because of the Patriot's Day holiday will not have to file by today. Further details will be announced by today.
The American Red Cross in Boston is not calling for blood donations to help victims. "There is currently enough blood on the shelves to meet demand," tweeted @RedCross.
Heightened Security In New Jersey
New Jersey's bridges and tunnels are on heightened alert but the FBI says there has been no specific threats made. "The New Jersey State Police has recalled and pre-deployed our bomb unit, aviation crews, tactical teams, and search and rescue assets," Lt. Stephen Jones, a department spokesman, said in a statement.
"NJ Transit police have deployed both uniformed and plain clothed officers to further patrol our system and keep our customers safe," the organization said in a statement, asking riders to be aware of suspicious activity.
Increase In Security
A surge of security from coast-to-coast and across the Atlantic has followed the Boston Marathon bombings. Security intensified at the White House, New York's Times Square, and in London ahead of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's funeral in London. The London Marathon is also scheduled this weekend. Police in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Detroit, San Diego and Las Vegas monitored landmarks, government buildings, transit hubs and sporting events.
The London Marathon will go on as scheduled. Sports Minister Hugh Robertson tells the BBC he is "absolutely confident" the race will be run on Sunday. "This is one of those instances where the best way to show solidarity with Boston is to continue," he added.
The FBI is aware of the significance of April on the calendar. Yesterday was Patriots Day in Massachusetts and also the day federal income tax forms needed to be filed. One hundred people were killed in April, 1993 in the FBI's siege of a compound in Waco, Texas while in April, 1995 nearly 200 were killed in the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City.
The Associated Press contributed to this story