Hundreds of Boston-area commuters were stranded Friday, as transit police shut down the entire MBTA system of commuter rail, bus and subway services to comb for Suspect No. 2 who wore the white hat in the marathon bombings.
All Boston public schools were cancelled, ABC reported. Area colleges, including Harvard University, shut down for the day, too, as SWAT teams descended on the city.
Meanwhile, state authorities have advised residents of Watertown, Waltham, Newton, Belmont, Cambridge and Allston-Brighton to stay home. Businesses in the area have also been asked to close, Boston.com reported.
“We are asking you to stay indoors, to stay in your homes for the time being,” said Kurt Schwartz, the head of the state’s homeland security department. “We are asking business in those areas to cooperate and not open today until we can provide further guidance.”
The order to shut down the MBTA — the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority — came by way of Gov. Deval Patrick.
The manhunt for the suspect is spreading. The other suspect — the one wearing the black hat in photos that were released Thursday evening — was killed in a shootout with police, that left one officer dead
SEE ALSO: Police warn Boston suburbanites: Lock your doors, suspect armed with explosives on body
Authorities don’t know when MBTA will resume operations.
“We have an emergency,” said Transit Police Lt. Manes Cadet, in Boston.com. “We cannot proceed until we take care of that emergency.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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