“We are grateful that nobody was injured, but this is a serious act of violence against the people of New Jersey”. But several beaches in the area will remain closed until further notice.
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Della Fave said at this time they can not say whether it was a criminal or terrorist attack, but said it was clear the bomb meant to target the race. They also said there was nothing to reports of another explosive device near the site of the explosion. No injuries were reported. Local and state police along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF quickly flooded the quiet beach town of Seaside Park as bomb experts carefully removed and dissected what appeared to be three pipes intricately wrapped together inside a garbage can near D St. and Ocean Ave.
Chad Ruedin, who happened to be walking along the boardwalk when the blast occurred, told News12 New Jersey that when he heard the explosion, he initially thought it was the start of the charity race.
Asked if marines and their families had been targeted, he said: “I think we can assume that, considering the location of the device right along the run route where, if it was just a matter of minutes in terms of difference, there would have been a good number of people running past that explosive device”.
Law enforcement authorities said they did not know the motive for the blast.
However, State Police bomb technicians have rendered safe items located in the same trash can in which the explosion occurred. Chris Christie on the investigation. Officials said participants in the run had been scheduled to pass by the area around the time the blast occurred, but start of the race was delayed after an unattended backpack was found in the area.
“We’re continuing to work with the authorities to make sure that we bring whoever is responsible for this to justice as quickly as possible”, he said. In Minnesota, six people were injured and one killed in the stabbing attack at a mall in St. Cloud, according to the Independent Journal Review, and the suspect in that attack was in custody.
Congressman Tom MacArthur, who represents the area that includes Burlington and Ocean counties, described the person responsible for the incident as “mentally unhinged”.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump briefly addressed the New York City bombing during a speech Saturday night, while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said very little and stressed that no one should jump to conclusions.
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It is unclear how many runners had signed up to participate in the Semper Five race.
