Boston Marathon Bombing Report

The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by several cities in Greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts. It is always held on Patriot’s Day, the third Monday in April. Begun in 1897, the Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathons and ranks as the world’s best-known road-racing events (“Boston Bombing,” n.d.). But on April 15, 2013, the marathon made history for something else. At approximately 2:49 EST, two pressure cooker bombs struck near the finish line of the marathon, leaving three dead and one hundred and forty one injured. Among the injured, twelve were reported in critical condition. The victims, who were treated in eight different hospitals, were as young as two (Lev, 2013).

In the years to follow, the media has been quick to provide information and at times that information has been incorrect and at the cost of the people they have mistaking identified. After the Boston Marathon Bombing, two men dubbed the “bag men” by news reports were identified as possible suspects even though they had nothing to do with the attacks (Sack, 2013). As of recently in the Phoenix metro area, the local freeways have been facing a series of random shootings. The Arizona Department of Public Safety has already call the unknown suspect a domestic terrorist even though the person or persons are not known nor are their motivations. A few days ago, every news agency was reporting a major break in the case and reporting an arrest in the freeway shootings. The man accused had his name and picture placed on many news outlets as being the freeway shooter. However, the AZ Department of Public Safety is only charging the man with a marijuana charge. AZ DPS has also publicly announced that the man is not their primary suspect and that they still believe the actual shooter is still at large. It is possible that the man is connected, and criminal charges related to the shootings will occur. However, it is also possible that this man has falsely been painted as the serial freeway shooter and a terroist while the real suspect is still looking for more

On April 19th, 1995 a homemade bomb made of a concoction of agricultural fertilizer, fuel, and other dangerous chemicals was left in a truck parked outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City. At 9:02 in the morning, it’s blast damaged over 300 buildings surrounding the vehicle and even flattened a third of the federal building. (Strom, 2015) The bomb took the lives of 168 people, including 19 children. It was found that two men, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Lynn Nichols were the ones who planted the device. Both men were found to be associated with a radical militia movement that sought revenge for a siege in Waco, Texas two years prior. The siege killed 82 Branch Davidians, of whom, multiple were related to the militia movement.

When the Oklahoma City bombing happened, it remained the largest terrorist attack to happen on American soil until the attack on 9/11. On April 19, 1995, a rental truck was loaded up with 4,800 pounds of explosives and detonated just after 9:00 am (Krung, Nixon, & Vincent, 1996). The attack was focused on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. This tragic event killed one hundred sixty-eight people and also injured hundreds more (Nacos, 2016). A dare care facility was also located within the building and nineteen children perished in the attack (Nacos, 2016). There were hundreds more victims which were treated by area hospitals and private doctor offices. This explosion was so large, a shockwave was sent across the city which damaged or destroyed an additional 300 buildings in the immediate area (History, 2009). Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nicholas were the two men responsible for this devastating attack.

On the evening of March 5, 1770 the Boston Massacre started on king street because of a small argument between Hugh White and a few colonists, it began to increase as more colonists came and began to beat, throw sticks, and snowballs at Hugh White . Soon there were 50 colonists at the area of the scene. Captain Thomas Preston sent some soldiers to the custom house to take order. The sight of the British soldiers were armed with bayonets which made the crowd shout at them and daring them to fire.

Everyone always asks why there were only five people that died in the Boston massacre, it will be discovered today. The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770 in Boston Massachusetts at the Boston’s customs house. The British troops were sent to Boston in 1768, because of taxation. While the British soldiers were in Boston, the American colonist decided to mess with the Soldiers. As this was happening, the patriots had been protesting against the British troops. The British troops getting word from their captain, to get ready to guard and attack. As the crowd starts to rile this led to five people dying.

A truck bomb explosion occurred on April 19, 1995. Prior to 9/11, this event was the worst attack on American soil in our history because it killed or injured approximately 700 civilians. By analyzing the historical, social, and cultural perspectives, one can better understand the significance of the Oklahoma City Bombing in American history.

The main reason that Timothy McVeigh was investigated for his involvement into the Oklahoma City Bombing was because he had been arrested for possessing and transporting a loaded handgun that was found being stopped for no license plate on his vehicle. This happened only within 90 minutes of the explosion after he had left the Murrah Federal Building. Evidence linked McVeigh and Terry Nichols to the attack and Nichols was arrested later. Nichols was linked to assisting in the stealing and purchasing of the bomb materials along with McVeigh that they stored in storage lockers. McVeigh rented the Ryder truck under an alias and drove it to the Murrah Federal Building on the day of the bombing. Terry Nichols parked a getaway car several blocks

On April 15, 2013 during the Boston Marathon in Copley Square, two bombs exploded near the finish line killing at least three and injuring over 170 people. This bombing sent the nation in an uproar and it was immediately recognized as a terrorist attack. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation took over, a few days later a surveillance video and photographs of the two suspects were released.

The Oklahoma City bombing of the Murrah building took place on April 19, 1995 by a 24-year-old army veteran, by the name of Timothy McVeigh and up until the 9-11 attack in New York City, was the worst terrorist attack on U.S soil. It took the lives of 168 people, leaving another 509 injured. McVeigh planned his attack for the date of the second anniversary of the governments assault near Waco. The raid in Waco ended unsuccessfully with six Branch Davidians and four federal agents dead. The Oklahoma bombing meant nothing more to him than pure revenge, his only goal was vengeance and he felt merely nothing.

The day was absolutely beautiful, sunny with decent temps which made for perfect running condition for the runners during the 117th Boston Marathon, and event held on Patriot’s day to commemorate the battle of Lexington and Concord that had started the Revolutionary War in 1775. 23,000 runners lined up at the starting line in the city of Hopkinton, the first wave of runners started at 9:32. At approximately 2:49 p.m. is when 2 bombs went off, at least 5,600 people still racing towards the finish line at the time of the explosion (History).

On the covers of newspapers and on the screens of many, the story of the Boston marathon hits the ground. Twenty six thousand eight hundred thirty nine people from all over the world came to run in this awe-inspiring marathon. Until the tragedy strikes right in their faces. The explosions, injuring scores of people, effected the lives of innocent civilians. Cheers were replaced with screams, sirens, and the first responders providing aide to the citizens. This was a brutal event just like the one on September 11, 2001. Instead of using seclusion towards political and economical reasons for events, the mass medias perceptive towards incidents involving the religion Islam has created the stereotypical thought in society in which we live in today.

Two men, who found a bomb planted in Manhattan, are being searched for by the law enforcement agencies. The two men took a duffel bag, after removing the explosive it contained. Investigators released images of the men, believing that the bag taken might have been an important piece of evidence. The authorities do not believe that the two men are related to Ahmad Khan Rahami, the person accused of setting off the bombs. “We have no reason to believe they’re connected” (Santora 1). The police commissioner said that the men are witnesses. As a matter of fact, several law enforcement officials suggested that when the men were jostling the bomb to get it out of the bag they may, unknowingly, caused it to deactivate. Mr. Rahami, during a shootout

On April 15, 2013, two homemade pressure-cooker bombs were placed near the finish line of The Boston Marathon. The bombs detonated 12 seconds and 210 yards (a block) apart at 2:49 pm near the finish line. Because the bombs were put low, most people were only severely injured from the waist down. Making a total of only 17 lost limbs. At least 264 people were injured and a total of six died: three persons from the bombing, 2 police officers, and the terrorist brother.

September 11th holds many hard and upset feelings around the world today. The harsh actions of Muslim extremists unfortunately completely changed the way Muslims are treated, especially in the United States. These events, exacerbated islamophobia. Unfortunately, “the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, connect Muslims and Islam to terrorism within the geographical borders of the United States.” (Byng) Although it has been over a decade since the attack, many still feel racist and discriminatory attitudes towards Muslims. Muslims are the targeted minority in the United States, “the 9/11 terrorist attacks shifted the social and political context for Muslims in the United States. Terrorism within the geographical borders of the United States carried out by Muslims places an identity at the center of national and global politics.” (Byng) The blame of the horrible terrorist attacks, rather than be placed on terrorists or religious extremist, has been placed on Islam in America. After September 11th, hate crimes towards Muslims skyrocketed, “the most dramatic change noted by the report was a more than 1,600 percent increase in reported hate crimes against Muslims -- a jump from 28 hate incidents in 2000 to 481 last year.”