'It's Like Martial Law Out There'

Her alarm didn't go off this morning.

When 22-year-old Natalie Viola woke up, she immediately began rushing around in a frantic attempt to make a punctual arrival to her job at the Department of Health and Human Services in Government Center.

At roughly 7:30 a.m., Viola was contacted by her boss.

"I was told to turn on news and not go to work," she said. "I was told to stay home. It was a shock."

Since that point, Viola – a Trinity High School graduate and second-year Harvard student – said she's nervously watched outside as SWAT teams have rolled past her Brighton apartment building and helicopters have flown overhead.

"It's scary. It's like martial law out there. We're in a police state right now," she said. "It reminds me of (The Dark Knight Rises) and being in Gotham with everything locked down."

Viola says its been hours since she's seen a car pass and hasn't seen or heard anyone outside.

"It's not really making a lot of sense to me. I feel like we're not getting a lot of information and, right now, I'm just confused and want to know when this lockdown is going to end," she said. "It doesn't really seem like they're making much progress and the news just keeps repeating the same information."

Though she and her roommate, a Newton attorney, are anxious to get out of their apartment, Viola said her first thoughts are with those still in the line of danger.

"I just hope that no one else is hurt and that everyone comes out of this safely," she said. "I'd like to see them get whoever is responsible for all this and hope that no one else has to die."

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