Officials in Boston now say three people died in the bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  One of the fatalities is an 8-year old child.  More than 170 people are recovering from injuries ranging from cuts and scrapes to limbs blown off by the blasts.

The first bomb exploded near the finish line, and across the street from a VIP section where seats had been reserved for families of the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.  The second bomb went off a few second later, down the street and in the direction where many people were running to escape the first.  A good collection of photos from the scenes is here.  Here are more.

The bombs were apparently loaded with carpenter nails and other types of shrapnel that some witnesses say they saw littering the ground in the aftermath.  This spray of metal contributed to the severity of injuries. 

The 8-year old boy's family was particularly devastated in the attack:  His sister lost a leg and his mother suffered a head injury.

The FBI has taken over the investigation.  An Obama administration official said, “We don’t yet know who carried out this attack, and a thorough investigation will have to determine whether it was planned and carried out by a terrorist group, foreign or domestic.”

The final mile of the marathon had been dedicated to the families of the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut last year.  A group supporting the families, calling itself "Newtown Strong", had been running in the race.  The Sandy Hook team escaped injury.