A small bomb exploded in a New Jersey beach town along the route of a planned road race on Saturday morning, causing no injuries but prompting authorities to cancel the event and evacuate dozens of homes as they searched for more devices.
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Police gather at a command center in Seaside Park, N.J., on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, during an investigation of a pipe bomb which exploded before a charity race to benefit Marines and sailors.
The race was cancelled after the incident. Fortunately, since the race was held up, there was nobody in the area of the explosion and no injuries were reported. Local law enforcement are now working with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Department of Homeland Security to ensure that the area near this incident is safe, evidence is collected, and any possible suspects are apprehended.
Asked if marines and their families had been targeted, Mr Della Fave said, “I think we can assume that, considering the location of the device right along the run route”. There was a report of at least one other device that New Jersey State Police were addressing, the Prosecutor’s Office said. He told Nee “The start of the run was delayed, which thankfully avoided a large number of runners in the area”.
Della Fave said as many as three explosive devices were enclosed in the trash can, created to send shrapnel flying, but because only one of the devices detonated, “it appears it didn’t do the damage it was supposed to”.
The trash can contained several “pipe bomb-type devices” wired together, Della Fave said.
The explosion occurred at 9:35 a.m., five minutes after the race had been scheduled to begin. Attorney General Christopher Porrino and Col.
“Working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives], we are taking every step to ensure the safety of the public and to determine who was responsible for this explosion”, Attorney General Christopher Porrino said in a statement.
“We don’t know what this individual’s agenda is”, Della Fave said.
Congressman Tom MacArthur, who represents the area that includes Burlington and Ocean counties, described the person responsible for the incident as “mentally unhinged”.
A race volunteer told CNN’s Anne Woolsey that police and local law enforcement made the decision to shut down the race.
It wasn’t clear when the boardwalk and beach will reopen.
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It is unclear how many runners had signed up to participate in the Semper Five race.
