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On April 15, 2013, two improvised bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
Emergency workers scrambled to treat over 200 injured runners and fans. Law enforcement agencies launched a manhunt for the perpetrators. And Americans, glued to their phone and television screens, watched for hours, waiting for the confusion and chaos to unfurl into a narrative.
That act of watching — aided by new platforms, fueled by faster reporting — ushered in a new age of national response to local emergencies. The Boston Marathon bombings left an enduring framework for how Americans process, organize and mourn in the face of tragedy.