2:46 PM (BCN): San Francisco police are on heightened alert today following two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, a police spokesman said.
The explosions occurred sometime around 2:50 p.m. Boston time. Initial reports indicated that at least two people were killed and nearly two-dozen injured.
The Boston Marathon said on its Facebook page that the explosions were caused by two bombs.
“We are working with law enforcement to understand exactly what happened,” race officials said.
San Francisco police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said the department has increased patrols around the city’s “higher-profile potential targets,” and in areas where there are large crowds.
“We don’t really need to hear anything from anybody when something like this happens. We’ve got all the officers right now going into uniform. The uniform presence in San Francisco will be stepped up significantly especially where crowds gather,” SFPD Chief Greg Suhr told KCBS. “There will be officers all over San Francisco and you can imagine where there will be more than less.”
Police are asking members of the public to be especially vigilant and report any suspicious activity by calling 911.
There was no heightened security at Bay Area airports as of 1:15 p.m.
San Francisco International Airport spokesman Doug Yakel said the airport is waiting for direction from the Transportation Security Administration.
“The TSA typically leads the way on that, and if there’s any changes that need to be made to our security procedures, they would communicate that out,” he said.
Golden Gate Bridge spokeswoman Mary Currie said normal security procedures are in place along the span, but that bridge district officials are “aware of the situation” and are in communication with partner agencies to ensure safety.
1:51 PM: Following the fatal explosions at the Boston Marathon today, the San Francisco Police Department says patrol officers are on “heightened alert.”
According to reports from the scene, at least two people are dead and many more injured after two explosions at the finish line at the Boston Marathon at around 11:50 AM PT Monday.
According to Boston’s Police Commissioner Edward Davis, speaking at a press conference at 1:50 PM PT today, a third explosion was reported outside the marathon course.
“There was an explosion that occurred at the JFK library” Davis said. “We are not sure if these events are related, but we are treating them as though they are.”
However, it’s since been reported that the library incident was actually an unrelated, accidental fire.
“In light of the Boston Marathon explosions, SFPD officers on patrol are on heightened alert. Anyone in the public who sees anything suspicious we ask you contact SFPD or 911,” the police department announced on Facebook this afternoon.
SFPD Chief Greg Suhr will be addressing the public regarding the explosions at 2:15 today at the Central Market Safety Hub at 72 Sixth Street, which is between Stevenson and Jessie.
According to SFPD, “this will be the only time [Suhr is] available today for comments regarding today’s tragedy.”
