Two suspects are in custody after homemade bombs were recovered outside the New York Mayor’s mansion on Saturday “that could have caused serious injury or death,” according to the NYPD. The bombs were taken to an anti-Islam protest on Saturday outside Gracie Mansion, the residence of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife. Police said one person tossed a smoking object with a “hobby fuse” into the crowd at the “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event organized by far-right activist Jake Lang. It struck a barrier and extinguished itself near officers. The same person was then handed a second device by the other man in custody, which was lit and then dropped and did not appear to ignite. Additionally, another suspicious device was discovered on Sunday in a vehicle on East End Ave., three blocks south of the Mamdani’s house. “Yesterday, white supremacist Jake Lang organized a protest outside Gracie Mansion rooted in bigotry and racism. Such hate has no place in New York City,” Mamdani said in a statement on Sunday. “The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the NYPB Bomb Squad investigations found “an improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.” The two homemade devices retrieved on Saturday consisted of a sports drink bottle that contained explosive material surrounded by nuts and bolts, law enforcement officers told CBS News. Two suspects, aged 18 and 19, are believed to have traveled from Pennsylvania and are currently in custody. The NYPD announced on Sunday that they have removed the third device and while residents can return to their homes, the area remains closed to traffic. The FBI have asked for information or tips on the incident to be reported to 1-800-CALL-FBI or http://tips.fbi.gov.
Read it at CBS News
