Pressure cooker device removed from NYC street after robot inspects it
UPDATE: Sunday, Sept. 18, 12:45 p.m. ET: NYPD confirms device found on West 27th Street has elements of an improvised explosive device. Explosion on West 23rd Street has been called a "bombing."
A robot belonging to NYPD was sent in to inspect a "suspicious package" on the sidewalk in Chelsea, Manhattan early Sunday morning -- just blocks away from the site of an earlier explosion which injured 29 people.
Law enforcement sources described the package on West 27th Street as a pressure cooker with "tapes, wires and a cell phone attached," according to NBC News. On Sunday, the NYPD confirmed in a press conference the device had "components indicative of an improvised explosive device (IED)" and that the first explosion was caused by a bomb.
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Presumably, NYC resident Mazdack Rassi ignored the call for people to stay away from windows, instead capturing the robot's inspection of the item via Periscope, in three seperate livestreams totalling over 90 minutes.
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A photo of the reported pressure cooker device is being quickly spread around on Twitter. The image hasn't been verified by any official parties, however a senior police official allegedly told NY Times that it was authentic.
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The pressure cooker device was removed from the scene by the NYPD Bomb Squad and taken to a secure facility. Authorities hope to determine whether it has similar components to the bomb that exploded on West 23rd Street.
Earlier Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the first explosion an act of terrorism, but said it currently did not appear to have links to international terrorism, according to Associated Press. No one has claimed responsibility for the bomb and it is not clear the motivation behind the act or who is responsible.
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Meanwhile, Facebook has launched its "safety check" feature for locals, should they wish to inform friends and relatives of their safety.
Authorities have called the original blast in Chelsea an "intentional act," but a senior counterterrorism official has reportedly said there's nothing to connect it to the explosion of three pipe bombs in New Jersey earlier Saturday at this point.
Topics New York City
Jerico Mandybur is the editor of Mashable Australia. Previously, she worked as a digital editor at SBS, Oyster Mag, MTV and ASOS. Tweet her at @jerico_m.
