The Department of Justice has confirmed that one man has been taken into custody in Florida in the investigation into the pipe-bomb spree that has gripped the nation this week. NBC’s Pete Williams is delivering a live report now and cautioning that this might not mean the case is resolved — but the DoJ now plans a press conference for later this afternoon:
LIVE: NBC News Special Report: Man taken into custody in Florida for questioning as part of the pipe bomb packages investigation, law enforcement sources tell @NBCNews. https://t.co/5MGorR3Wih https://t.co/QgUZl8JVhG
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 26, 2018
US Justice Dept. spokesperson: "We can confirm one person is in custody. We will hold a press conference at the Dept. of Justice at 2:30 p.m. ET."
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 26, 2018
ABC News reports it as a “suspect” in custody:
.@ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: Suspect in custody in connection with suspected explosive packages. https://t.co/I0OSTn6SPK
— ABC News (@ABC) October 26, 2018
We’ll watch this as it develops, but it might be over. Let’s hope so, anyway.
Update: Two more bombs were discovered earlier today, sent to James Clapper and Cory Booker:
Authorities recovered suspicious packages sent to Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and James Clapper, the director of national intelligence under President Obama. The packages appeared to be similar to 10 others sent this week.
The package sent to Booker was found in Florida, the FBI said on Twitter on Friday morning. Sources told CBS News that the package sent to Clapper was found at a postal facility in New York City.
The New York package was addressed to “James Robert Clapper Time Warner (CNN),” according to a photo of the package obtained by CBS New York station WCBS-TV. On Wednesday, a bomb sent to CNN’s offices in New York’s Time Warner Center prompted an evacuation of the building.
The arrest took place at an auto-parts store in suburban Miami. The local CBS affiliate reports that an explosion took place, but might have been a flash-bang device to stun the suspect before police raided the store.
Update: Multiple news outlets report that the man arrested will be charged with the bomb threats:
NBC News Special Report: Man taken into custody in Florida for questioning as part of the pipe bomb packages investigation, law enforcement sources tell @NBCNews. https://t.co/5MGorR3Wih pic.twitter.com/Fzy3aJNjSD
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 26, 2018
Update: The man was in his 50s, and he lived in Debbie Wasserman Schultz’ district. Pete Williams wonders whether he had any accomplices:
"A person has been arrested in connection with this string of package bombs, and will face charges in connection with the bombing…. I don't know if the conclusion is that this is the only person involved. " – @PeteWilliamsNBC. pic.twitter.com/F4ZIeMf8IZ
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 26, 2018
That’s a good question. If the bombs in New York City were hand-delivered, was he in NYC at those times — or did he have someone helping him out?
Update: The perp allegedly left DNA evidence on the packages, allowing law enforcement to confirm his identity:
Suspect in bombing scares is a 56-year-old man, a law enforcement source tells CBS News. Authorities were led to the suspect in part through DNA evidence. https://t.co/1KLWpCFhkd pic.twitter.com/XdD4Iesiqh
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 26, 2018
If that’s true, then we’re not dealing with a criminal mastermind. Of course, if they caught the man this quickly, we could have assumed that anyway.
Update: This seems … interesting:
WATCH: FBI agents cover up van near site where mail bombing suspect was taken into custody https://t.co/1KLWpCWSbL pic.twitter.com/wjh4ey1JYp
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 26, 2018
Update: Definitely not a criminal mastermind:
LATEST: Suspect in custody in connection with suspect mail-bomb campaign was tracked through a cell phone; cell phone, laptop and other electronic devices have been recovered. https://t.co/q7OJsPJ4Bl pic.twitter.com/YerSRzdaJo
— ABC News (@ABC) October 26, 2018
So far, this looks like great work from the FBI and its partner law-enforcement agencies. We’ll have to see what it looks like in court, however.
Update: NBC confirms Sayoc’s identification and NY1 has another mugshot of him as well.
Update: Did another package get through? Looks like Kamala Harris might have also been a target:
Suspicious package sent to Senator Harris being investigated: CNN https://t.co/YZ0L93nPYr
— Reuters Politics (@ReutersPolitics) October 26, 2018
We may see more come through in the next few days.
Update: This is also interesting:
https://twitter.com/kevincorke/status/1055856535681880069
The arrest took place in Florida and at least some of the action took place there too. Four of the bombs were delivered in New York, at least, so it makes sense that the SDNY would be involved. It could also mean that they’re checking to see if Sayoc had an accomplice for the hand deliveries in the state, or maybe just tracking his cell-phone location data to tie him to the specific deliveries.
Update: “An incredible job by law enforcement,” Donald Trump said in his first comments on the arrest. “These acts are despicable and have no place in our country.”
NEW: Pres. Trump on the investigation into the suspicious packages addressed to high-profile figures: "I am pleased to inform you that law enforcement has apprehended the suspect, and taken him into custody." https://t.co/63ofD3KsU3 pic.twitter.com/wBFaIT2tA8
— ABC News (@ABC) October 26, 2018
NEW: Pres. Trump: "I've instructed authorities to spare no resource or expense in finding those responsible and bringing them to swift and certain justice. And we will prosecute them, him, her, whoever it may be, to the fullest extent of the law." https://t.co/5JiUtz00GU pic.twitter.com/IUf9pIxBBS
— ABC News (@ABC) October 26, 2018
Update: FWIW, which isn’t much. Sayoc was a registered Republican, but not for very long:
voter records show that Cesar Sayoc voted in the 2018 florida primary, at an early voting location in miami-dade county. nothing in miami-date county for 2016, and nothing in nearby broward county for 2016.
— kelly cohen (@ByKellyCohen) October 26, 2018
Update: Reportedly the Secret Service hadn’t heard of this guy. One would think the van alone would have prompted a little attention. But if not that, then maybe this?
https://twitter.com/hardrockintlent/status/1042700436472561664
If you’re thinking this is in response to Holder’s “kick them” remark, think again:
The tweet was dated Sept. 20, so it would have been before Holder’s comments saying when Republicans go low, ” we kick them.”
Biden and Holder were two of the 12 targets of prominent Trump critics who were mailed pipe bombs.
Aaaaaand at least one of them has lifetime Secret Service protection. Maybe no one flagged it for them, but it certainly looked like the kind of veiled threat that would have normally prompted a response.
Update: I think we have to get Marc Caputo in on a “Florida Man” thread, because this guy is soooo “Florida Man”:
Oh, this is so Miami: unglued former stripper steroid junkie poses as a Seminole and goes full MAGA in a Trumped-out white van as he mails out explosive devices that misspell Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s last name.
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) October 26, 2018
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