Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Included in Brooklyn Heights Arsenal: Nerf Football Bomb
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 28, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 28, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
When you're found to be making pipe bombs amidst an apartment arsenal of weapons and then confess to painting swastikas in your Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, expect the book to be thrown at you repeatedly. Ivaylo Ivanov was charged with over 100 criminal counts for his activities.
Found in the Remsen Street apartment he shared with AIDS researcher Dr. Michael Clatts (they had their own living spaces in the duplex) were a "sniper rifle, machine gun, silencers, and pistols" - not to mention a eight pipe bombs including one in a Nerf football - according to the NY Post. Ivanov claimed that he wanted to use the bombs while fishing.
The NYPD let reporters see the weapons (video here) and the bomb squad's Mark Torre said, "Was this bomb capable of functioning as designed and exploding as the bomb-maker intended it to do? The answer is yes. Was this device capable of causing death or serious physical injury to anyone in close proximity? The answer is yes."
Police discovered the weapons when Ivanov shot his hand and asked the police for help, initially claiming he was shot by a stranger. During the investigation, Ivanov admitted to the racist graffiti in Brooklyn. He also apparently distributed flyers with "Kill All Jews" and "US hates you" while dog walking. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said 100 detectives had been on the case of the swastikas and were narrowing in on Ivanov; they even met Ivanov's dog "because one of the incidents had occurred in a dog run." Kelly added, "A swastika is not just another form of graffiti. It is a symbol that generates real fear, particularly for those still-surviving victims of Nazi Germany , as well as with relatives – so many who reside in New York – who were orphaned by its barbarism"
While police believe Clatts did not know about the weapons, the Brooklyn DA's office may not rule out charges against him.
Tagged
aids
brooklyn
brooklyn da
brooklyn heights
commissioner ray kelly
crime
found
hate crime
heights
Ivaylo Ivanov
nazi germany
new york
ny post
nypd
pipe bomb
police commissioner
police commissioner ray kelly
Ray Kelly
Remsen Street
The NYPD
The Police
us
weapons
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .