Suicide bomber strikes New York City at rush hour
An ISIS-inspired suicide bomber set off a homemade explosive device at the Port Authority Bus Terminal subway station Monday morning, law enforcement sources said.
The man — a 27-year-old who lived in Brooklyn and is possibly of Bangladeshi origin — had wires attached to him and a 5-inch metal pipe bomb and battery pack strapped to his midsection as he walked through the Manhattan transit hub, sources said.
Police took the man into custody.
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the man was inspired by ISIS and possibly born in Bangladesh.
Bratton, who said the man had been living in the US for seven years, “was supposedly setting the device off in the name of ISIS.”
“So, definitely a terrorist attack, definitely intended,” Bratton said.
The man, who suffered the most serious injuries, was taken to Bellevue Hospital.
Two others suffered minor injuries, police said.
Investigators briefly spoke to the alleged bomber, who told them he made the explosive device at the electrical company where he works.
Emergency personnel flooded the scene following the incident.
Mayor de Blasio has been briefed on the incident.
The incident sent commuters into a frenzy.
An anti-terrorism cop at the scene said the suspect “could have killed a lot of people.”
All MTA trains were bypassing Port Authority-42 St. as police investigated the incident.
All New Jersey Transit buses were not stopping at Port Authority.