Boston Marathon Breakthrough

 

 

 



In a major breakthrough, federal investigators have recovered the mangled remains of one of the bombs planted along the route of the Boston Marathon Monday, according to two counter-terrorism officials briefed on the case.

The officials told ABC News the remains show a medium-sized pressure cooker, packed with wires, a circuit board, nails and ball bearings.

Earlier today doctors caring for the 170-plus victims of the deadly bombing reported they have been pulling nails or nail-like objects from those struck by the twin explosions -- likely shrapnel from inside the bombs.

"Nails or sharp objects," Dr. George Velmahos, chief of trauma at Massachusetts General Hospital, said at a press conference. "Can't say for certainty, but that's what they look like. [They're] numerous... 10, 20, 30, 40 in their bodies, maybe more."

A spokesperson for Brigham and Women's Hospital, another medical center caring for the wounded, reported similar injuries, apparently caused by carpenter nails and small ball bearings. Velmahos said he believes that shrapnel specifically came from the bomb itself, which, based on the number of lower extremity injuries, was likely planted low to the ground. Others were hurt by environmental shrapnel -- objects close to the blast -- and still more were injured just by the blast of air that slammed them against walls.

Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured, 17 of them critically, in a pair of explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday afternoon. No suspects have been identified.