SARTELL, Minn. (WCCO) — As the hunt for those responsible for Monday’s bombing at the Boston Marathon intensified, school counselor Sam Nordby was back at work.
Laura, Nordby’s wife, finished the race about 40 minutes before the explosions rocked the racecourse, killing three spectators and injuring more than 170 others.
Web Extra: Gallery: Photos Of Boston Bombing Suspects
But before the couple left Boston early Tuesday morning to return to Minnesota, they met teams of FBI and Homeland Security agents at the airport.
The agents were inquiring of passengers if they had any photographic evidence of the race course near the finish line. Nordby immediately turned over the images he captured on his cellphone.
One photograph in particular captured the agents’ interest. It shows the exact spot of the second explosion as seen from across the street.
At first, even Nordby didn’t see what the picture contained.
“I looked at my stuff many times…because I think maybe I can notice something on my own,” Nordby said.
Then, suddenly, there it was — a suspicious bag at the base of the steel barricades.
The bag, it turned out, was positioned at ground zero of the second explosion.
“I thought it was…this is really something,” Nordby said.
Now, it’s the faces of spectators, frozen in time, that Nordby can’t stop thinking about. He’s left to wonder of the fates of those near the scene.
“I don’t know if this will help at all, maybe it’s just a curiosity,” Nordby said. “I’m hoping maybe if this helps authorities, that would be great – that would be awesome.”
On Thursday afternoon, the FBI gave an update on the latest in the Boston Marathon bombing investigation. They showed images of two suspects, which can be seen here.
