Crime & Safety

9 Laguna Niguel, Dana Point Runners at Boston Marathon, Site of Explosions

All but one finish ahead of the blasts. In Orange County, authorities go on "heightened alert" at local events.

Nine Laguna Niguel and Dana Point residents competed in the Boston Marathon on Monday,  with most finishing before explosions reportedly claimed the lives of at least two people and injured more than 100 near the finish line.

Click here for the latest on the Boston Marathon explosions.

Dozens of Orange County residents took part in the race, including Laguna Beach's John Loftus, who won the age 54-59 division. Most of the Orange County runners finished the race before the explosions, according to a race website. There was no immediate word on whether any were injured by the explosion.

Find out what's happening in Laguna Niguel-Dana Pointwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Closer to home, the Orange County Sheriff's Department promised to step up patrols "at local sporting/entertainment venues and other large gathering places."

Several gruesome photos have surfaced on Twitter from reporters and runners who said they were at the scene, some appearing to show individuals missing limbs and blood splattered across the sidewalk.

Find out what's happening in Laguna Niguel-Dana Pointwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the Boston Athletic Association site, these local entrants finished well before the blasts:

  • Leslie Buehler of Laguna Niguel at 3:34:51
  • Anne Delfosse of Laguna Niguel at 4:00:12
  • Matthew Eyre of Laguna Niguel at 3:21:09
  • Bo Gustafsson of Laguna Niguel at 3:00:53
  • Patti Labun of Laguna Niguel at 3:52:29
  • Kristi Lind of Laguna Niguel at 4:02:19
  • Alejandro Castillo of Dana Point at 3:24:27
  • Eric Petersen of Dan Point at 3:03:14

At publication, Valerie Lindeborg of Laguna Niguel did not have a finish time. However, that doesn't mean she was harmed. She may have been diverted from the scene.

These marks are “gun times,” not the actual times from start to finish, since many thousands of entrants don’t reach the starting line until minutes after the gun goes off.

Boston Backbay Patch is covering story.

Patch will provide updates.


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