The 8-year-old Boston Marathon bombing victim has been identified. The young boy is among three who died in the Boston explosion and the 144 who have been hospitalized. 

Martin Richard, 8, was watching his father finish the Boston Marathon when he was tragically killed. He is of three publically identified fatalities of the explosions that rocked the city yesterday. There were three separate bombs; two near the finish line of the Boston Marathon and one in the JFK Memorial Library.  At least 144 people have been hospitalized.

8-year-old Martin was at the event to watch his father in the race. The boy had stepped off the sidewalk, hoping to give his dad a hug, as he crossed the finish line in the Boston Marathon. He then walked back to the sidewalk to stand with his mother and sister when suddenly, the bomb went off. His mother, Denise, and 6-year-old sister have been hospitalized with serious injuries. TV station WDTH reported that his sister lost a leg in the blast and his mother had to have emergency surgery for an injury to her brain.

The Boston explosions occurred at about 2:45 PM, around two hours after the race started. Authorities have not yet said what caused the explosions. The marathon itself referred to the blasts as bombs on its Facebook page.

Video footage showed an explosion as runners neared the finish line near Boylston and Exeter streets. The impact, which occurred about 300 yards from the line, knocked some runners over. About ten seconds after the first blast, a second occurred on the opposite side of the street.Emergency personnel raced to the scene and cordoned off the area. Photos of the scene showed broken windows on store fronts and a sidewalk slippery with blood.

Following the incident, the race was halted and subway service was shut down.

Over 27,000 runners were participating in the marathon this year. Crowds had gathered to watch the runners along the route, and many of the injured appear to be spectators.

Last night, a candle remained burning in front of the Richard family's home in nearby Dorchester, Mass. The word 'peace' was written beside it. Martin Richard's mother and sister remain hospitalized today.

No suspects have yet been identified or come forward. Federal authorities are classifying the incident as an act of terrorism at the present time.