On Saturday morning, a bomb exploded in a trash can in New Jersey and authorities believe it was likely timed to disrupt a Marine Corps charity run.
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The pipe bomb was in a garbage can when it exploded. The area was evacuated and placed on lockdown as bomb dogs searched for additional devices.
“Working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF, we are taking every step to ensure the safety of the public and to determine who was responsible for this explosion, which occurred at a time when runners in this charity race could have been in harm’s way”, said Porrino.
The location of the blast was along the route of the 3rd Annual #Marine Semper Fi 5K Race route and given the proximity, this incident is being investigated as a possible act of terror.
A law enforcement source said an initial investigation suggested the explosion occurred in a dumpster but the cause was still undetermined. “So he saw it go off with the smoke”, Costello said.
Seaside Park police Chief Francis Larken said all residents will be able to return to their homes as of 6 p.m. Residents in the area of C, D and E streets near the beachfront will have to show identification, Larken said.
“We are taking every step to ensure the safety of the public and to determine who was responsible for this explosion, which occurred at a time when runners in this charity race could have been in harms way”, Porrino said.
The FBI has taken over as the lead agency in the investigation.
Cops have noted that the types of bombs in each case were different: The Seaside Park, NJ, one was a pipe bomb, while the two found in Chelsea were of the pressure-cooker variety.
The running race was about to begin when an explosion around 9:30 a.m. rang out. Officials described the bombs as a rudimentary timer based device. At least 25 people are injured with minor injuries.
Following the explosion in New Jersey, a bomb went off in the Chelsea area of Manhattan, New York City, on Saturday evening.
“The main thing is everybody is safe, and we were just lucky that there were so many sign-ups”, said Costello. “It makes me very angry that this could happen in a sleepy little town like Seaside Park after Labor Day”, he said.
“We are working hard to find the person responsible for this”, Whitaker said.
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All beaches have reopened in Seaside Park, New Jersey.
