$50,000 reward offered by unions for info leading to perpetrators of marathon bombings - Metro - The Boston Globe

A group of police and firefighter unions announced a $50,000 reward Tuesday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for setting off two explosions at the Boston Marathon that took three lives and injured more than 170 people and have set up a fund for victims of the blast.

About 60 firefighters were on duty during the Marathon and scores of police lined the route, all of whom sprang into action to help victims in the moments after the almost simultaneous blasts Monday afternoon, Edward A. Kelly, president of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, said during a 2 p.m. joint press conference at Dartmouth Street and Huntington Avenue.

Some first responders used their belts to apply tourniquets to injured people who would probably have bled to death without such treatment, Kelly said.

“Anger,” he responded, when asked to describe his emotions about the attack.
 
“Let me say as an American, my heart is broken . . . but I’m proud to say our first responders did an amazing job.”

The ­reward by the first responders unions is aimed at facilitating the investigation. ‘We took care of the victims yesterday, and we want to take care of them moving forward.’

Thomas Nee, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association and the National Association of Police Officers, said that within minutes of the blasts fire and police departments from other states, including New York, were on the phone offering to travel to ­Boston to help.

“Let’s displace the fear, let’s displace that fear, because we will find this person, and we will bring that person to justice,” Nee said.

Jerry Sanfilippo, president of the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society, said the ­reward by the various unions is aimed at facilitating the investigation.

“I assure you that the same degree of professionalism that you saw demonstrated yesterday by the Boston police will continue unabated as we seek out and bring to justice those terrorists who sought to destroy our city,” Sanfilippo said.

“We took care of the victims yesterday, and we want to take care of them moving forward,” Sanfilippo said in announcing a victim’s fund at the Boston Firefighters Credit Union.

He said all money raised will go to the victims.

“I am proud to stand together with my brothers in the ­Boston Police Union and the Boston EMS union to take care of the victims of this tragedy.”

Brian Ballou can be reached at BBallou@globe.com; Martin ­Finucane can be reached at MFinucane@globe.com.
$50,000 reward offered by unions for info leading to perpetrators of marathon bombings - Metro - The Boston Globe

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