University of Wisconsin-Madison students who were at the Boston Marathon Monday are confirmed safe after two powerful explosions near the finish line left over 100 injured and three people dead, according to local authorities.
Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said in video footage of a press conference Monday the explosions occurred at 2:50 p.m. EST between 50 and 100 yards apart.
Twenty minutes before the explosions, UW-Madison junior Abby Studinger finished running her first Boston Marathon in around 3 hours 50 minutes.
“I’m thankful that I finished,” Studinger said. “But it’s really hard to think about all the people that were coming in behind me.”
At a Monday evening press conference, Davis said there is no suspect in the investigation, but “there are people that we are talking to.”
Special Agent in Charge Rick DesLauriers said at the press conference the FBI will collaborate with local and state officials to investigate.
DesLauriers called the case “a potential terrorist investigation.”
“We will work diligently to … gather all the facts and bring those who are responsible for this crime to justice as swiftly as possible,” DesLauriers said.
Davis also said a third explosion, which occurred at the John F. Kennedy library in Boston, is likely unrelated to the explosions at the marathon. The incident may have been related to a fire.
At least 11 individuals associated with UW-Madison were registered to run in the marathon, including at least two faculty and two students, based on a cross-reference of the race registration list and UW-Madison directory.
Finishing times for the marathon were listed for Madison registrants affiliated with the university.
Additionally, Wisconsin Track Club President Matt Mixdorf said none of the club’s current members ran in the marathon, and alumni of the club who ran were safe from the explosions.
UW-Madison senior Lauren Ayala, who also finished her first Boston Marathon this year before the explosions, said she had a great race.
“There’s [an] incredible feeling that you have, and I feel like I can’t even really celebrate it,” Ayala said. “It’s just such a tragic day.”
Studinger said learning about the explosions from people at the train stations, where transportation had been shut down, was a “surreal” experience.
“I know personally that I’ve been looking forward to this day for a really long time—years—and how hard people worked to get here,” she said. “It’s really, really unfortunate that someone could take it away like that.”
