From The Associated Press: The two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing killed a police officer at the Massaschusetts Institute of Technology and hurled explosives at police in a car chase and gun battle overnight that left one of them dead and his brother on the loose.
LOCKDOWN: Authorities have told residents in Boston, Watertown, Newton, Belmont and Cambridge to take shelter where they are and not to go outside. The area's public transportation system has been shut down. The city of Boston's web site says, "Please understand we have an armed and dangerous person(s) still at large and police actively pursuing every lead in this active emergency event."
From MIT: A police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was shot to death in the line of duty near Building 32 (the Stata Center) on the Cambridge campus.
The Boston Globe has identified the MIT police officer killed as Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville. In addition, Transit Police Officer Richard H. Donahue Jr., 33, was wounded, and about 20 officers from Watertown and other departments were being evaluated at a hospital. The officers reported being injured from grenades being thrown from the window of a car during a car chase.
Classes canceled: A statement from MIT: "We have decided to cancel classes today (Friday). All employees are encouraged to use their best judgment about whether they are prepared to come in to work today: any absence today will be considered excused."
ALSO: Classes have been canceled Friday at Harvard University, Emerson College, Boston College, Boston University, Tufts University and other area schools. The Boston public school system was closed this week for Spring Break.