Wellesley Reacts to bin Laden’s Death

The morning after President Barack Obama told the world Osama bin Laden had been captured and killed by U.S. special forces, people going about their day in Wellesley took time to share their opinions on the historic event.

Korean War veteran Patrick Sullivan, taking a stroll in front of the ’s main branch, reflected on the announcement with pride.

“It’s just about time,” he said.

News came out that it took under 40 minutes for the U.S. unit to compromise the bin Laden hideout and kill the target, though specifics on who was involved in the operation remain hazy.

“I wonder which one shot him first,” Sullivan said.

Opinions ranged from those of gratitude toward the U.S. unit that carried out the mission to those of irritation that it took 10 years to hunt down Al Qadea’s leader, the man behind the 9/11 attacks.

“It takes six hours to go from here to Italy, it takes nine years to kill [bin Laden],” said Gianfranco Palestro in front of his store, Salon Internationale, in Wellesley Square.

Tyler Watson, walking with Palestro, opined that bin Laden’s body is still in U.S. custody at this hour, despite the announcement that world’s most nefarious terrorist had been buried at sea.

“Guarantee they got him somewhere up here on ice,” he said. “They’re doing more DNA testing and bull***.”

Still, others simply gave the United States credit for carrying out what the George W. Bush administration set out to do immediately following the attacks on the Twin Towers.

“It’s a tribute to our armed forces,” said Whitney Blond, who had been talking about the subject with two friends in Wellesley Square.

David Bard, shopping with his wife Doris on Washington Street, said now the country, steeped in the aftermath of 9/11 for an entire decade, can finally move forward.

“I just think that everybody’s been holding their breath for a long time,” he said. “Hopefully this will get some closure that goes beyond just bin Laden. Maybe the whole nation just gets over this and moves on.”