Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday morning, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R, said there were no known links so far between the New Jersey pipe bomb and two other incidents – an explosion in NY and a stabbing rampage in a Minnesota mall – that took place later Saturday.
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A pipe bomb has exploded in a New Jersey seaside town shortly before thousands of runners were due to take part in a 5K charity race for USA marines and sailors.
No one was hurt in the initial blast.
No injuries were reported.
Authorities say the pipe bomb was wired to other explosives but they did not all detonate.
Authorities said the lag in the start of the race, reportedly because of late registrations, meant the bomb went off before runners were on the race course.
The race was canceled soon after, forcing a restive crowd of runners to return to their vehicles, though some still made a decision to complete the race at their own risk or along a different route.
The third annual Semper Five run, named for the US Marines motto “semper fidelis”, “always loyal”, was canceled and the immediate area was put on lockdown.
The beach and boardwalk in Seaside Park were evacuated Saturday morning after a pipe bomb exploded in a trash can, moments before a charity race for USA service members was set to begin.
He added that the rubbish bin contained a “pipe bomb-style device”, NJ.com reported.
A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the FBI’s joint terrorism task force was responding and that investigators did not believe the incident was due to a gas leak. “It makes me very angry that this could happen in a sleepy little town like Seaside Park after Labor Day”.
“We are working together to conduct a through investigation to find out who is responsible at this time”, Cohen said.
Police rushed to the scene, immediately evacuating about 30 homes located around the epicenter of the blast.
Amusement rides and the beach in Seaside Heights remain open after the K-9 and police units swept the area.
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“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.
