NEW YORK, N.Y. — New York City police say a device ignited during a protest outside Gracie Mansion, the residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, was an improvised explosive device capable of causing serious harm.
The New York Police Department’s Bomb Squad conducted an initial analysis of the device and concluded it was not a hoax or smoke bomb. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the device “could have caused serious injury or death,” adding that investigators are continuing to examine the device and a second suspicious device found at the scene.
Authorities said the incident occurred Saturday during a protest outside the mayor’s residence. NBC New York reported that Mamdani was inside Gracie Mansion at the time the devices were discovered and that two individuals were arrested after allegedly attempting to detonate the suspicious items.
Police identified the suspects as Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, who were taken into custody at the scene. Investigators are working with federal authorities, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI through the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
A spokesperson for Mamdani said the mayor and the city’s First Lady were safe, but described the incident as a reminder of the threats public officials can face.
Sources
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