Police in New York respond to reports of explosion at bus station terminal
by Joe Dahlke - FOX 31 Denver
NEW YORK — New York police have responded to reports of an explosion at a bus terminal in Manhattan near 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, the NYPD said.
The A, C and E subway lines have been evacuated.
This is a developing story. We will update with the latest.
Port Authority explosion leaves several injured, reports say
FOX News
Several people were injured and one person was in custody after an explosion near New York City’s Port Authority bus terminal during Monday morning’s rush hour, prompting mass chaos and halting multiple subway lines, according to a report citing law enforcement sources.
NYPD and the FDNY confirmed to Fox News they are investigating reports of an explosion “of an unknown origin” near 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue. Police tweeted A, C, E subways lines are being evacuated. NYC Office of Emergency Management also tweeted there was “police activity” near West 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues and advised commuters to expect delays.
Several people wrote on social media there was mass chaos at the bus terminal, some saying there was a "stampede" when an explosion was heard.
NYC Transit said: “1, 2, 3, A, C, E, N, Q, R, W and 7 train are bypassing 42 St. See mta.info for full details.”
Port Authority explosion suspect: What we know about Akayed Ullah
By Kaitlyn Schallhorn | Fox News
https://i.imgur.com/eEhHQp5.jpg
An attempted suicide bomber who set off a rush-hour explosion at the nation's busiest bus terminal is a Bangladeshi national living in Brooklyn who was inspired by ISIS, law enforcement officials said.
The suspect in Monday morning's blast at Port Authority in midtown Manhattan was identified as Akayed Ullah, 27. Ullah strapped a pipe bomb to his body with Velcro and zip ties, and it detonated in a subway corridor, police said.
Details on a possible motive were unclear, though analysts at the SITE Intelligence Group noted that the pro-ISIS Maqdisi media group suggested a link between the attack and President Trump's decision last week to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, The Washington Post reported.
Ullah lived in Brooklyn after he entered the U.S. in 2011 from Bangladesh on a chain migration visa, Department of Homeland Security Press Secretary Tyler Houlton said in a statement.
The DHS said Ullah came to the U.S. on an F43 visa, a preferential visa available for those with family in the U.S. who are citizens.
He was considered a "Lawful Permanent Resident from Bangladesh," Houlton told Fox News.
Law enforcement officials said Ullah was inspired by ISIS but didn't appear to have direct contact with the group and likely acted alone.
Ullah was a licensed cab driver from March 2012 to March 2015, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission confirmed to Fox News. His TLC For-Hire Vehicle Driver's License was not renewed after 2015.
The TLC spokesperson did not confirm "whether he drove for any particular base, or whether he simply got the license but didn't drive at all." He did say Ullah was not licensed to drive a yellow taxi.
An Uber spokeswoman confirmed to Fox News that the ride-sharing company has no record of Ullah being "connected to the Uber platform." Lyft also does not "have any records" that Ullah worked for it, a spokesperson told Fox News.
What else do we know about the attack?
The suspect allegedly packed a 5-inch metal pipe bomb and battery pack into the right side of his jacket, according to The New York Post. Ullah told police he made the bomb at his work, law enforcement sources told Fox News.
The Post reported that he worked for an electrical company.
The device was an “effectively low-tech device,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. Officials said they are investigating whether the suspect detonated the bomb intentionally or if it went off prematurely.
The explosion occurred just before 7:30 a.m. near 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, law enforcement officials said. The explosion triggered a massive emergency response by police and fire both above and below ground, tangling subway and bus service at Port Authority.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the explosion was an “attempted terrorist attack.”
“At this point in time,” the only suspect is the one man already in custody, de Blasio said Monday morning, adding that the city is lucky the suspect didn’t achieve his intended goals.
At least four people, not including the suspect, were injured in the explosion, an NYPD spokeswoman confirmed to Fox News Monday afternoon. Three patients have been released from the hospital.
