Investigators are also combing through surveillance video for clues, but so far they haven’t found anything pointing to a suspect, a senior law enforcement official said.
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If you’re going to explode a bomb in Manhattan on a Saturday night, why not choose a more visible target instead of a relatively quiet neighborhood that, based on the videos that have shown the explosion, doesn’t see much foot traffic during the day?
That device – described by USA media as resembling a pressure cooker – was “safely removed by the NYPD for further analysis” early Sunday, tweeted police spokesman J. Peter Donald. A robot removed the device safely.
CBS News in NY is reporting that the exact nature of the incident is unclear, but their sources are saying the explosion occurred in a large trash container, such as a Dumpster. Furthermore, neither of the apparent bombings at least initially appear to be connected to global terrorism, at least not yet, and it’s still unclear what the New Jersey incident was all about since the explosive device has been described alternatively as both a “pipe bomb” and a device with about the same explosive power as an M-80 firecracker.
Cuomo said the preliminary investigation didn’t appear to show a link to global terror, and he noted that no terror group had taken credit for it.
The official wasn’t authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. Tannerite is a binary explosive that can be bought in kits and available for private use with little regulation.
During the same briefing, Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated that this was a very serious incident, and asked that New Yorkers be patient while investigators work to solve the case.
Associated Press writer Alicia A. Caldwell contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said she was briefed about the explosion in Chelsea as well as the explosive device in New Jersey, but said she would have more to say on the NY incident until the more is known.
New York City Councilman Cory Johnson, who represents the area, told 1010 WINS, “This is a very dense area, the whole block is restaurants and residences and this area on a warm Saturday night is an area swarming with people”.
Several injured were transported to area hospitals, assistant commissioner for communication with the New York City Police Department, J. Peter Donald, tweeted.
Earlier Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the bombing didn’t appear to have any link to worldwide terrorism.
Cops are searching a second site for another device. “But it is very early in the investigation and it’s just starting”.
De Blasio said that, though injuries were significant, none of those hurt was likely to die.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (right) walks from the scene of an explosion in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood on September 18.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said the Chelsea explosion was not in a dumpster but next to one in the street.
FBI investigators were examining remnants of the bomb plus an unexploded device found four blocks away and another device that exploded in New Jersey on Saturday to see if they were connected, Cuomo said.
Authorities confirmed that all 29 victims had been treated and released from hospitals Sunday morning (local time).
Martinez, who suffered injuries to his head and leg, was feeling “pain, a little traumatized”, he said.
The explosion even startled residents who were a few blocks away.
Mayor de Blasio said: “This was an intentional act”.
Early Sunday, police said an investigation into a third suspicious package turned up a bag of trash. Witnesses said the explosion at about 8:30 p.m. blew out the windows of businesses and scattered debris.
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Also Saturday, at least eight people were injured at a shopping mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in a stabbing attack.
