Al Della Fave, communications officer for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office said yesterday the device appeared to be a targeted attack against the participants of the Marine Corps Charity 5k and said he has not ruled out the possibility of the bombing to be a terrorist attack.
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“We’re really very lucky there were no fatalities here”, he said.
Officials are investigating two incidents from the same day. “There is no doubt about that”.
“It was a big boom. we thought something happened to the house”, Young said. All roads to the Jersey Shore town are also open. “So we are very fortunate that no one is injured here and we pray for those people who were injured in those other attacks”.
At least one Twitter user tweeted that her “whole high-rise building shook” from a apparent blast.
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 USA was hit hard on Saturday, with bombings in NY and New Jersey all taking place within a 12-hour period.
“We’re always on alert after September 11. always aware of our surroundings”, Young said.
This investigation will be led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and will receive additional help from local, state and federal officials.
Shortly after the blast occurred, Della Fave told reporters at the scene that preliminary reports said there may have been other devices connected to the pipe bomb, but those devices apparently had not gone off. Witnesses described the blast as “like a volcano” and stated that the explosion produced a wall of flame that sent people “running for their lives”. But the start was delayed due to a suspicious backpack that was found in the area, authorities said Saturday. The race was canceled and no one was injured. The Festival by the Sea, Point Pleasant Beach’s annual seafood extravaganza, was shut down just as it had gotten started Saturday.
Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Elizabeth resident, was arrested on Monday in connection to the explosions in Seaside Park and Chelsea and the undetonated devices found in a trash can near the Elizabeth train station.
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Cohen said those with information should contact his agency at 1-800-CALLFBI and press 1. As of today, authorities said that no one has been charged with a crime. “We will not rest until we find the person or persons responsible”.
