Trash can blast outside NYC federal building leads to custody
Police sources told CBS News a man was taken into custody after fireworks exploded in a garbage can outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
A garbage can outside one of Lower Manhattan’s best-known federal buildings became the center of a police response Monday morning after what authorities described to CBS News as an incendiary device went off near 26 Federal Plaza.
Police sources told CBS News that a suspect was taken into custody after the incident outside the federal building, which houses multiple agencies, including the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Senior security sources told CBS News that early information pointed to fireworks placed in a trash can that exploded. The New York City Fire Department responded to the scene to put out flames, according to the report.
The man taken into custody was not described in further detail by authorities in the CBS News report. No charges or possible motive were reported.
Security sources also told CBS News that an initial review found no shots had been fired. Authorities did not report any gunfire connected to the incident.
The response brought warnings for anyone traveling through the area around Worth Street and Lafayette Street. Police said people should expect traffic delays, mass transit disruptions and road closures nearby, and urged the public to stay away from the area.
26 Federal Plaza is a major federal office building in downtown Manhattan. Its tenant list includes law enforcement and immigration agencies, making any emergency response outside the building a high-profile event in a busy part of the city.
CBS News described the situation as developing, with additional information expected as authorities continue their response and review what happened outside the building.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.