YES there was an explosion in Chelsea. There was a second device found that did not explode. But the first one did.
Ok…so,there were two explosions, and a third that was found (sounds like near the second) that did not detonate.
Thank you for clarifying. Nothing in the news here…at all.
29 injuries in Chelsea but everyone has been released from the hospital. No injuries in New Jersey.
@thumper1 - there were “only” 2 devices found in NYC. (Originally there were rumors of another device in NYC but those rumors turned out to be wrong.) These devices look like pressure cooker bombs.
Earlier in the day some a pipe bomb went off in NJ. some unexploded pipe bombs were found nearby. The bombs in NJ MAY be related to the bombs in NYC because they all have the same type of detonators - old-style flip phones.
I personally doubt the stabbings in MN are related. That perpetrator has been identified as a Somalian known to police in St Cloud. ISIL has claimed that he was a “soldier of the Islamic State” but no one is claiming responsibility for the NYC/NJ bombings.
And because it matters to me for some reason - the MN stabbings were not at Mall of America. They happened at a mall in St Cloud in the Macy’s store.
The following is a link to a report about someone attempting to falsely take credit for the NYC explosion:
http://pix11.com/2016/09/18/__trashed-31/
According to this, the manifesto author was linked to someone from North Carolina and not credible by investigators.
Local newscast just reported 5 people suspected of being connected to the NYC explosion and possibly the second device have been picked up at a traffic stop and taken into custody.
Ugh, now there was a fourth device found inside a trash can near the railroad in NJ. Don’t be startled by any sensationalist headlines - one of the pipe bombs detonated while a robot was trying to dismantle it. No one was hurt. Hugs to everyone with NYC commuters and residents to love.
The times and other local papers are reporting that they have a suspect they are seeking, apparently he was seen on video footage near the explosion in Chelsea, and the explosion on the NJ shore. Both devices had similar trigger mechanisms (originally they reported the one in NJ was on a timer, it wasn’t, both were cell phone triggered). The one in NYC used a much more high explosive, called Tannerite, the one on the shore was the more standard black powder pipe bomb.
The third bomb was found in a backpack at the Elizabeth train station, it went off when they tried to move it with a robot. This could tie this to the person they are searching for, he and his family live in Elizabeth.
I used to work a block away from where that bomb went off plus I also spent a lot of time in Chelsea over the years, visiting friends and the like, and I am just grateful that the injured are mostly minor from what they are saying. That stretch of 23rd street would have a ton of traffic on a Saturday night on the sidewalks, and from what i read the bomb was under a dumpster and blew it clear across the street, not to mention the shrapnel from the bomb itself.
As far as motives, unknown, though it may have something to do with Chelsea being a traditionally gay neighborhood (though that is changing, insane NY real estate is changing that, has been), might explain why they would choose there instead of something like Times Square (could be because security is a lot tighter in Times Square and other places of similar caliber). The Jersey Shore was a benefit race to support Marines and their families, the train station would be straightforward terrorism (one suggestion I heard was kind of silly, that he took the train into NYC and couldn’t carry three packpacks…I think someone would have spotted someone carrying three big backpacks on a train, they likely drove).
When I see the legitimate fear and concern we have I cannot help but think about the fear and concern the average person living in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria must live with on a daily basis.
The suspect was captured after a shoot out with police in NJ.
Hats off to law enforcement and NSA and all involved in discovering a suspect, naming him, finding him and capturing him all in less than 2 days. Phenomenal work to be proud of.
The suspect in the shoot-out this morning is an American citizen. There are more sympathizers of ISIL, Hamas etc. in the U.S. than you realize.
I, too, am especially troubled by the fact that the Chelsea neighborhood was a target. I agree that the attack seems like a dry run…like killing any number of bystanders (as though it was a practice session) is acceptable to the terrorists because certainly there were hundreds of more people in Times Square, Union Square or Washington Square than Chelsea. I am also frightened by the fact that this guy Ahmad did his nefarious homework. I mean, how many folks really took notice of the upcoming road race in New Jersey? 5K races are so commonplace as to be unremarkable.
We should all realize that there is no fool proof 100% protection strategy for every inch of an urban area.
I heard that the suspect was found sleeping in a doorway by somebody who called 911. Makes him sound more like a disturbed lone wolf that a person with a good support system.
Lots of information
Suspect was born in Afghanistan and naturalized at some point.
My daughter was at the 5k race.
Here’s a weird twist - both bombs that didn’t explode were first found by thieves. Thieves stole the rolling suitcase that the pressure cooker bomb was in, took the bomb out (accidentally dismantling it) and took the suitcase away. Police are looking for these people for questioning. In the NJ bomb this morning, someone took the backpack, found the pipe bombs inside, dropped the backpack in the street and called police. Good thing they called police!
And hats off to the owner of the bar who found him sleeping outside his door and called 911.
Are you a thief if you take something out of a dumpster
I thought they were homeless
It’s comforting to know the guy was captured so quickly. I’m glad he’s alive for a change so they can hopefully get info from him and find out more about what makes these guys tick.
I think we are all fortunate that he wasn’t better/brighter about what he did - construction, placement, being visible in the aftermath. It could have been much worse.