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Here's what we know about the suspicious packages sent to top Democratic figures and CNN
Here's what we know about the suspicious packages sent to top Democratic figures and CNN
John HaltiwangerOct 25, 2018, 01:54 IST
Multiple explosive devices were sent to prominent Democratic figures, law-enforcement officials said Wednesday, including former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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CNN's offices in New York City also received a package with an explosive device.
The explosives were reportedly similar to a bomb found in the mailbox of billionaire George Soros, founder of Opening Society Foundations, on Monday.
The White House strongly condemned the attempted acts of violence, and pledged to bring "those responsible for these despicable acts to justice."
Those targeted with the explosive devices have all been vocal critics of President Donald Trump.
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Here's what we know about the multiple bomb threats:
The multiple bomb scares occurred from Florida to New York.
The Secret Service intercepted a suspicious package addressed to Clinton's residence in Chappaqua, New York.
The Secret Service also intercepted a suspicious package addressed to Obama's residence in Washington, DC.
"The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such," the Secret Service said. "The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them."
The Secret Service said it "has initiated a full scope criminal investigation that will leverage all available federal, state, and local resources to determine the source of the packages and identify those responsible."
The package discovered at CNN's New York City offices was dropped off by a courier around mid-morning, officials said.
The package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, who is actually an analyst for MSNBC.
An envelope with white powder was also reportedly found with the device sent to CNN and is being investigated as well, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said on Wednesday afternoon.
The NYPD bomb squad took the device found CNN's offices to an off-site location to be detonated.
All of the packages listed Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee, as the sender's address.
A package that was intended to reach former Attorney General Eric Holder, but had an incorrect address, arrived on Wednesday at Schultz's Sunrise, Florida, offices.
A suspicious package intended for Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters was also intercepted at a congressional sorting facility in Maryland.
Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris's offices in San Diego, California, were also evacuated due to suspicious packages. But officials later determined these packages didn't contain any threat.
There were also reports of a suspicious package at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office, but this also turned out to be a false alarm.
Wednesday's scares came two days after an explosive device was found in the mailbox at billionaire George Soros's home in Katonah, New York.