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SPORTSThursday 24 March 2016
Brussels attacks add urgency to Boston Marathon security
WILLIAM J. KOLE In this April 19, 2014 file photo, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans leaves the course after as and tactical units, and
Associated Press running in the 5-kilometer race in Boston in advance of Monday’s 118th Boston Marathon. checkpoints for the tens of
BOSTON (AP) — Boston’s thousands of spectators lin-
top law enforcement offi- Associated Press ing the route.
cial says the attacks in Bel- Within hours of the Belgium
gium have added a sense “We’re only 3½ weeks security precautions be- sures used since the 2013 bombings, Boston authori-
of urgency to securing next away. My priority is here, ing taken around the 120th attacks would be in place, ties were on the phone
month’s Boston Marathon. doing my job and making running of Boston, Ameri- including stepped-up pa- with the FBI as well as state
Police Commissioner Wil- sure the race goes off with- ca’s oldest and most cel- trols by uniformed and un- and international law en-
liam Evans told The Associ- out any problems.” ebrated footrace. dercover officers, a greater forcement agencies to re-
ated Press in an interview Evans did not elaborate on He said heightened mea- use of surveillance camer- view threats and security
Wednesday that he has no plans, Evans said.
information suggesting a “You worry about copy-
specific threat against the cats. You worry about
marathon, which was tar- these homegrown terror-
geted in 2013. ists who are in their base-
Two bombs planted near ment plotting something,”
the finish line killed three he said. “It’s a constant
spectators and wounded worry for me.” Dzhokhar
more than 260 others on Tsarnaev was sentenced
April 15, 2013. to death for the 2013 mar-
Evans, an avid runner, said athon bombing and is be-
he’s canceled his plans to ing held at the Supermax
run the 2016 edition of the federal prison in Colorado.
race on April 18 so he can Tsarnaev’s brother, Tamer-
tend to security duties. He lan, was killed in a shootout
said he had planned to with police several days af-
make it his 50th marathon ter the attacks. Evans had
and 19th Boston, but Tues- run the Boston Marathon in
day’s attacks in Brussels 2013 and was soaking in a
prompted him to recon- hot tub when word came
sider. of the attacks.
Instead, he said, marathon He hasn’t run his beloved
security will be his main race since. “Right from
focus. “I can’t in my right the get-go, I said it would
mind go out and lace up be a game time decision”
the sneakers and run that whether to run next month,
day,” he said in his office, Evans said. “But yester-
where dozens of marathon day’s attacks were trou-
medals decorate the walls. bling to me.”
