President Obama issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing that claimed four lives and injured hundreds, remembering those lost and praising the courage and compassion of volunteers and first responders.
Also read: Boston Bombing Anniversary: How the Networks Are Covering
“Today, we remember Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Martin Richard, and Sean Collier. And we send our thoughts and prayers to those still struggling to recover,” the president said.
“We also know that the most vivid images from that day were not of smoke and chaos, but of compassion, kindness and strength: A man in a cowboy hat helping a wounded stranger out of harm’s way; runners embracing loved ones, and each other; an EMT carrying a spectator to safety,” Obama continued.
Tuesday marked one year since two homemade bombs exploded near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon. Campbell, Lu, and Richard died from the blast; Collier, a police officer at MIT, was shot and killed during an escape attempt by brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who were implicated in the terrorist attack.
Tamerlan, 26, was killed in a confrontation with police on April 19, 2013, and 19-year-old Dzhokhar was arrested and is slated for trial in federal court on Nov. 3.
Read the president’s full statement here:
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 15, 2014
Statement by the President
A year ago, tragedy struck at the 117th Boston Marathon. Four innocent people were killed that week, and hundreds more were wounded. Today, we remember Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Martin Richard, and Sean Collier. And we send our thoughts and prayers to those still struggling to recover.
We also know that the most vivid images from that day were not of smoke and chaos, but of compassion, kindness and strength: A man in a cowboy hat helping a wounded stranger out of harm’s way; runners embracing loved ones, and each other; an EMT carrying a spectator to safety. Today, we recognize the incredible courage and leadership of so many Bostonians in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. And we offer our deepest gratitude to the courageous firefighters, police officers, medical professionals, runners and spectators who, in an instant, displayed the spirit Boston was built on – perseverance, freedom and love.
One year later, we also stand in awe of the men and women who continue to inspire us =- learning to stand, walk, dance and run again. With each new step our country is moved by the resilience of a community and a city. And when the sun rises over Boylston Street next Monday — Patriot’s Day — hundreds of thousands will come together to show the world the meaning of Boston Strong as a city chooses to run again.