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Improvised Explosive Device Set Off At Upper East Side Starbucks
By
Jen Chung
Published May 25, 2009
Modified May 25, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 25, 2009
Modified May 25, 2009
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Earlier this morning, around 3:30 a.m., an explosion was reported outside of a building at Third Avenue and 92nd Street. The NYPD is conducting an investigation; according to WCBS 2, "Officials tell CBS 2HD it wasn't a bomb that went off, but an improvised explosive device. The device was planted on a bench outside the Starbucks."
All of the building's residents were evacuated, as well as those of neighboring buildings. There were no reported injuries, but the windows of the ground-level Starbucks were blown out. Residents told WABC 7 they thought it might be a gas explosion or truck running into a building.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly spoke about the incident—he said the device seemed to be a "low" explosive—and commented about whether it was related to the incidents outside the British consulate in 2005, Mexican consulate in 2007 (grenades), and Times Square recruiting station last year, "The similarity is the time. The Mexican consulate, the British consulate, the Times Square bombing event at the recruiting station, we have this event. They all happened between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. that's the immediate similarity we are looking at."
However, he added, "We will be checking cameras in the area. Right now there are no reports of anyone on a bicycle," referring to how in the three earlier incidents, a person on a bicycle was spotted, "Obviously it is a cause for concern, but we are going to do an in depth investigation. Starbucks has been victimized in the past in other cities. So we are looking into that issue as well."
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upper east side
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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