4-16-2013

Page 1

The Daily Free Press

Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue XLV

RIGHT? Panel reevaluates “Right of Return” conference, page 3.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

FULL ALBUM

More photos of the chaos caused by the explosions, page 5.

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WIND UP

www.dailyfreepress.com WEATHER

Pitching helps softball win against UMBC, page 8.

Today: Partly cloudy/wind/High 64 Tonight: Showers/wind early/Low 52 Tomorrow: 65/43 Data Courtesy of weather.com

Boston rocked by explosions near Marathon finish line 3 dead, many injured by blast, spectators shocked Students shocked, disheartened by Marathon attack By Margaret Waterman Daily Free Press Staff

Spectators and runners flee from the scene of the two explosions near the Boston Marathon finish line. By Kyle Plantz & Jasper Craven Daily Free Press Staff

Two explosions occurred Monday afternoon near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, resulting in three deaths and dozens of injuries. One of the casualties was an eight-year-old boy, and Boston University President Robert Brown confirmed that a BU student was critically injured during one of the blasts, in a letter to the community. No other information of the injured has been released. Mass. General Hospital officials confirmed they had taken in 22 patients affected by the blasts. Six of the patients were in critical condition and five were in crucial condition, said Kory Zhao, a spokesman for Mass. General. Brigham and Women’s Hospital has taken in 26 patients, two of whom are in critical condition, according to hospital officials. U.S. President Barack Obama pledged the full resources of the federal government for post-explosion assistance to both Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick when he spoke to them Monday afternoon. “We don’t yet have all the answers, but we do

know that multiple people have been wounded, some gravely, at the Boston Marathon,” Obama said in a press conference Monday afternoon. There was also an explosion at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library, but this was later confirmed by BPD Commissioner Ed Davis as being caused by an incendiary device that caused no injuries. Davis said he believed the JFK fire was unrelated to the marathon explosions. When asked at a press conference Monday whether the explosions were part of a terrorist undertaking, Davis said police authorities did not know conclusively who organized the explosions. “We’re not being definitive on this right now, but you can reach your own conclusions based on what happened,” he said. In a statement from the Boston Athletic Association — which organized the marathon — a tone of sadness was placed on an event that was supposed to hail physical and mental achievement. “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,” according to a release on Monday evening. “What was intended to be a day of joy and celebration quickly became a day in which running a marathon was of little importance.” Some city-goers witnessed the explosion, and said the blast pushed onlookers into a panic. “By the end of the marathon there was an explosion by the church near Copley,” said Matthew Gold, 19, a student at Berklee College of Music. “There was the first explosion. Everyone stopped and everyone was silent. There was thick white smoke and I stopped my friend and then immediately, five to 10 seconds later, there was a second explosion, closer to us, towards Massachusetts Avenue.” After the first two explosions, Gold said the scene turned into chaos. “It was pandemonium and everyone was running and trying to get in the building,” he said. “I got caught between the revovling door. It was just crazy and it’s a whole different point of view from witnessing it.” Corbin Johnson, 19, also a student at Berklee

Daniel Traub was running on the Esplanade near Boston University on Marathon Monday when he made a turn to go toward Copley Square. He was almost there when suddenly, a woman stopped him and told him to turn around. “She just said two bombs had gone off and that everything was a mess and that the place was torn apart,” he said. “She offered her phone to me if I needed to call anyone.” Traub, a Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore, was one of many BU students near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon on Monday when two explosions went off, killing at least three people and injuring more than 100. Among those affected, one BU student was critically injured, according to an email to students from BU President Robert Brown. The student could not be identified at press time. “Boston University police have stayed on duty to protect our campus and support Boston and state police,” Brown said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have experienced a dreadful loss and those whose loved ones are terribly injured.” Nathan Barbagallo, a College of General Studies freshman, said he and his friends were at 100 Bay State Road when they decided to try to head to the finish line to see the close of the race. “We were going to go to the tents and see what happened,” he said. “We were all going to get jackets to go and then right when we were in Myles [Standish Hall], our friend texted us … We turned on the news and it was all over the place.” Barbagallo said he was discomforted to learn that the explosion injured a BU student. “I know a lot of the people who go to this event are BU students, and I figured the odds were high, but it’s still just too close for comfort — just right around the

Explosions, see page 2

Marathon, see page 2

KENSHIN OKUBO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Protesters oppose BU biolab as proceedings continue at Moakley Courthouse By Margaret Waterman Daily Free Press Staff

Several protesters stood outside the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse Thursday as proceedings continued in a case challenging the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University, commonly referred to as the BU biolab. Inside the courthouse, a team of prosecuting attorneys argued that the National Institutes of Health risk assessment of the lab, which was released Jan. 2, did not properly consider alternatives or the biolab’s environmental consequences. The case, Allen v. NIH, is in its beginning stages. “We got involved with this back in 2003 because we were concerned with the fact that this lab was being put in an area that was very congested, many poor people of color, we felt that they were being exploited,” said Cornelia Sullivan, one of the protesters and Fenway-area resident. “They chose to put it in an area where people

were poor.” Eight protesters stood outside the courthouse in opposition to the NIH ruling, which found the biolab to pose minimal risk to the surrounding community. The lab will conduct research on Level 3 and Level 4 pathogens and diseases if approved, including SARS, Ebola, 1918 H1N1 influenza, anthrax and pneumonic plague. Sullivan said there is evidence that the biolab’s anticipated research may be used to create bio-weapons. “What really struck us was the caliber of the scientists who came out against this — two Nobel laureates spoke against it,” she said. “What one of them said was that this lab could be used to create instruments of death … We studied this for a couple of years and we felt we could no longer stand aside and just study — we had to make a statement.” Seth Jaffe, the attorney representing BU

Biolab, see page 4

KENSHIN OKUBO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Protesters gathered outside the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse, seen here, Thursday in opposition to the the Boston University bioloab.


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4-16-2013 by The Daily Free Press - Issuu