Update: CNN president Jeff Zucker says the NYPD has “concluded its security sweep, and it is now safe to return” to the news network’s Time Warner Center office in New York City after a suspected explosive device was found, prompting an evacuation.
CNN’s newsroom in the Time Warner Center was evacuated Wednesday following reports that a suspicious package was sent to its New York City studios. Multiple sources told the news network that the package was addressed to former CIA Director and MSNBC contributor John Brennan.
CNN New York was just evacuated. Police everywhere pic.twitter.com/yZLB6Cep0i
— Eric Levenson (@ejleven) October 24, 2018
Scene outside CNN NY HQ right now. #NYPD Bomb squad here. @CNNnewsroom pic.twitter.com/avUVaSKDRu
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 24, 2018
Here's the moment CNN had to handoff to DC and evacuate Time Warner Center in New York pic.twitter.com/TUtnWrss9z
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) October 24, 2018
CNN is now broadcasting from DC. CNN says anchors, staff in NYC were evacuated after NYPD said it was investigating a "suspicious package" sent to the Time Warner center. pic.twitter.com/hBgrOpyDKb
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) October 24, 2018
CNN President Jeff Zucker announced in a statement that the network is cooperating with law enforcement to “determine the severity of the situation” following the incident and said bureaus around the world are being inspected out of caution.
NEW: CNN Pres. Jeff Zucker says network is working with law enforcement to "determine the severity of the situation" following suspicious package at Time Warner Center in New York; bureaus worldwide being checked out of abundance of caution. https://t.co/U4rVcvGxWW pic.twitter.com/AE4AHK2iwE
— ABC News (@ABC) October 24, 2018
ABC News and CNN shared photos of the device. The return address is a Florida office for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).
This photo obtained by @ABC and confirmed by two law enforcement sources shows the device recovered from @CNN by the NYPD bomb squad. pic.twitter.com/HFzTMSoJXG
— Gio Benitez (@GioBenitez) October 24, 2018
This is the suspicious package received this morning at the Time Warner Center, which houses the CNN New York bureau.
Police say the package appeared to be a “live explosive device.” It has now been removed and taken to a NYPD facility in the Bronx. https://t.co/26XMdOF8sF pic.twitter.com/431sVpYUJv
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 24, 2018
Package sent to CNN pic.twitter.com/ODvPmz5NJN
— Carol Costello (@CarolC) October 24, 2018
Earlier, the U.S. Secret Service said agents intercepted packages containing “possible explosive devices” addressed to former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The agency says neither Clinton nor Obama received the packages, and neither was at risk of receiving them because of screening procedures. It says the devices were discovered late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
A U.S. official tells The Associated Press that a “functional explosive device” was found during screening at Bill and Hillary Clintons’ suburban New York home. The official says investigators believe the explosive is linked to one found Monday at the compound of liberal billionaire George Soros. The Secret Service says a second package was addressed to Obama and was intercepted in Washington. Further, NBC’s Pete Williams reports that the Secret Service intercepted another suspicious package addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder.
The White House is condemning attempted attacks made against Obama and the Clintons. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says in a statement: “These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” She adds: “The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.