Parents, Relatives Hold Their Breath As Boston-Area Lockdown Continues

For those with loved ones in the Boston area this Friday morning, these are very scary times. Residents of Boston and surrounding communities have been told to stay inside; public transporation is shut; colleges and universities have closed for the day following the dramatic death of one suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings Thursday night and the pursuit of another, who is believed to be in Watertown even now.

For East Greenwich resident Jane Schaefer, the events of recent days recall the horrible time after Sept. 11, 2001.

"My daughter is an EGHS alumni and MassArt grad and is now under lockdown in her apartment in Waltham. She was told to stay inside, lock her doors and don't let anyone in. As a parent, this is frightening. She is three miles from Watertown," Schaefer wrote in an email.

"My son was also on URI's campus during the shooter scare. As a mother, to hear that your child is in enough danger that they need to be locked down is truly unsettling. We lived on Long Island during 9/11 and our community lost 15 people. This all brings back those feelings. I am angry that this is the new normal. I am grateful, though, for the fantastic law enforcement that is bringing about such a quick resolution to this awful situation." 

Do you have loved ones in the locked down area? Please contact me if you have any information about the events there last night and today (elizabeth.mcnamara@patch.com) or leave a comment. Thanks all.