Terror attack in US - Live Updates

BREAKING NEWS: There has been a terror attack in Boston in the United States that has killed over 3 people.

There were 3 bombs set off at the Boston Marathon that saw 20,000 runners including 100 New Zealanders.

Hundreds are injuried and many are killed.

This is a infonews.co.nz breaking news world special, Live Updates are below:

 

MORE UPDATES TO COME

10.50am: "Any event with multiple explosive devices - as this appears to be - is clearly an act of terror, and will be approached as an act of terror," a White House official said.

There has been no comment on whether it was domestic or international in origin.

10.43am: Reality star  Kim Kardashian sent out her tribute shortly after the incident occurred.

"My heart is breaking for everyone effected or injured in the explosion at the Boston Marathon. God bless you all! My prayers are with you!"

10.41am: NZX Newsroom ‏tweeted: "45 NZers registered to run in the Boston marathon today but there were no Kiwi casualties, says PM John Key."

10.39am: An eight-year-old was one of the two people killed today, according to CNN affiliate WHDH.

10.33am: White House official says Boston incident will be handled as an "act of terror", according to Reuters.

10.29am: White House official says investigation will have to determine whether Boston explosions were carried out by a terrorist group, foreign or domestic.

10.22am: Google Earth has released a series of satellite images of the scene of the Boston Marathon bombings.

10.15am: The president said at a press conference today. "Any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice."

10.13pm: Obama said Boston is a strong city and American people will be with them every step of the way.

10.11am: He said Boston police, and firefighters responded "heroically". "We still do not who did this and why," Obama said. He said they "will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable".

10.10am: Obama said increased security around the US is neccessary.

10.03am: "There is no suspect in custody," the Boston police commissioner says.

10am: Boston Police says the have confirmed "explosions along the Marathon Route in the area of Boylston Street".

9.53am: Boston police is now letting runners go back into hotels, but only after going through check points, reports say.

9.48am: Obama will deliver a statement at 10.10am.

9.47am: Speaker Boehner says he expects to lead a moment of silence in the House of Representatives around 6:30pm(UST) for the Boston victims.

9.46am: The Boston police department has tweeted: "Area around crime scene will be closed for the foreseeable future."

9.42am: "At least 90 people injured in #BostonMarathon blasts, according to area hospitals," the Boston Globe has tweeted.

9.37am: According to the New York Post 12 people are dead. We are working to confirm this.

9.34am: Investigators have a suspect — a Saudi Arabian national — under police guard at a Boston hospital,  the New York Post reports.

9.32am: Police have tweeted a request for video from witnesses to the blasts.

9.30am: The Attorney General has directed the full resources of the Justice Department be deployed to investigate the bombs that exploded at the Boston Marathon, AP has reported.

9.25am: The Boston police department just tweeted: "JFK incident appears to be fire related."
9.22am: Google has rolled out a Person Finder for those affected by Boston Marathon explosions.

9.15am: "Everyone was running. I was right next to the explosion. It threw me. I never sprinted so fast after a marathon," a marathoner told USA Today .

9.11am: Marathoner Neil Gottlieb, who witnessed blast at finish line, told the Boston Globe: "Part of me hopes it was some sort of malfunction of some equipment that was there but it didn't seem that way. If it was something more than that it's an absolute tragedy."

9.09am: People "shouted we need help" after the second explosion. Footage from the Boston Globe:

 

9.06am: Police had no prior knowledge of a threat to the Boston Marathon today, the Boston police commissioner says.

9.04am: "We are not certain that these incidents are related, but were treating them as if they are," said Boston police commissioner about the JFK Library fire and the marathon explosions.

9.02am:

8.59am: Boston police commissioner says he believes third explosion, at JFK Library in Boston, was related to marathon blasts.

8.56am: Boston police chief says people should go home, or back to hotel rooms, and not to congregate in open areas. But many hotels are in evacuated zone.

8.55am: Boston police have confirmed there was another explosion at JFK Library in Boston.

8.49am: Statement for Mayor Bloomberg on the explosions:

"As law enforcement authorities investigate today's explosions in Boston, I ask all New Yorkers to keep the victims and their families in your thoughts and prayers. I have spoken with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, and the NYPD has stepped up security at strategic locations and critical infrastructure, including our subways. Some of the security steps we are taking may be noticeable, including deployment of Critical Response Vehicles and additional police personnel, and others will not be. We have 1,000 members of the NYPD assigned to counter-terrorism duties, and they along with the entire NYPD and the investments we have made in counter-terrorism infrastructure are being fully mobilized to protect our city."

8.47am: Around 45 New Zealanders are believed to have been competing in the event today.

8.42am: "Blood everywhere, victims carried out on stretchers. I saw someone lose their leg, people are crying," the Boston Globe's Steve Silva reported from the city, the Globe said on Twitter.

8.33am: Nineteen injured people are being treated at Massachusets General Hospital.

8.32am: Obama has spoken directly with Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to offer assistance in responding to the explosions.

"The president called Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to express his concern for those who were injured and to make clear that his administration is ready to provide needed support as they respond to the incident," the official said.

8.31am: Police are telling people on scene of Boston Marathon to not use cell phones because it could set off other devices, ABC News tweeted.

8.30am: Two high-level US law enforcement sources told Reuters one or more bombs were responsible for the explosion. A source says multiple people are dead.

8.29am: Area in front of White House has been cordoned off.

8.27am: Obama has directed his administration to aid Boston authorities in investigating the cause of what local reports said were twin explosions that rocked the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

8.25am: The New York Police Department has stepped up security around landmarks in Manhattan, including near prominent hotels, in response to at least one explosion near the finish line of the Boston marathon, said Paul Browne, deputy commissioner of the NYPD.

8.23am:  Police spokesman Paul Metcalf told Reuters that his department has "heightened" security precautions around Washington DC.

8.16am: Boston Marathon's official Facebook page: "There were two bombs that exploded near the finish line in today's Boston Marathon. We are working with law enforcement to understand what exactly has happened."

8.13am: US President Barack Obama has been notified of the incident in Boston, and has directed his administration to provide whatever assistance necessary, a White House official says. Obama was briefed by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco and other members of his senior White House staff in the Oval Office.

8.12am: Police have detonated a third bomb.

8.11am: Two people are dead and 23 are injured following two explosions at the end of the Boston Marathon finish line, Boston police say.

8.10am: Pictures from the scene showed blood stains on the ground and several people knocked down.