On Saturday September 17 at approximately 8:30 p.m., a blast caused panic in the Chelsea district of Manhattan. The explosion, caused by an improvised bomb, injured 29 people in its vicinity, mainly through shrapnel. The New York Times reported by Sunday morning 26 of those individuals were released after being treated in area hospitals. Aside from injuries, multiple news sources reported blown out windows and widespread street closures as a result of the detonation.
City and state officials remained on high alert after confirming the existence of a second “pressure cooker” bomb in the same district, according to CNN. The New York Times reported the device was transported to the New York Police Department (NYPD) firing range at Rodman’s Neck in the Bronx, where it was deactivated. This particular kind of explosive has not garnered national attention since the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings, which killed eight people and injured dozens.
A photo of the device surfaces on social media websites late Saturday evening. The photo, which was confirmed by police to be authentic, pictured a cookware item attached to wires, christmas lights, and a cell phone.
New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, called the act “intentional,” yet as of Sunday evening there was no known motive for the violent act. State and city authorities found no evidence of an international terrorist connection, though the New York Times quoted New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, as having stated , “A bomb exploding in New York is obviously an act of terrorism.”
BBC, as well as CNN, have acknowledged the existence of a “person of interest,” a man who was spotted at both bomb locations, however, at this time the man’s identity is unknown. Reports of the accident claimed surveillance footage showed a man walking with a wheeled duffel near the explosion of the bomb, and then later show what appears to be the same man with the same bag in the location where the second, un-detonated bomb was found.
The reason of the targeted location is also a mystery. A police officer told the New York Times, “”We don’t understand the target or the significance of [the detonated device]. It’s by a pile of dumpsters on a random sidewalk.” At this point, it is thought to be because of the dense population of the district, with its crowded bars, restaurants, and shops.
Both the Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates responded to the bombing,BBC stated. Republican candidate, Donald Trump, tweeted condolences to those affected. Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, advised Americans to avoid premature conclusions about the nature of the bombing.
Saturday’s violence preceded the Tuesday meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, which U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders were expected to attend. De Blasio promised a “bigger than ever” police presence in the city, according to the BBC.
Cuomo backed up this promise, deploying 1,000 additional New York State Troopers to patrol the city’s subway tunnels, busses, and sidewalks in the coming days and weeks. “Whoever placed these bombs – we will find them and they will be brought to justice,” Cuomo said.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons