The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating an explosion Monday morning outside a federal building in Lower Manhattan where many immigrants attend court dates, the agency said.
An FBI spokesperson said an individual set off an incendiary device outside 26 Federal Plaza around 8:45 a.m. and has been taken into custody. Two minor injuries have been reported so far, FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media.
Video from the scene shared on social media by CNN shows plumes of smoke billowing on the sidewalk as police descend and close off the area with metal gates.
Around noon on Monday, the sidewalk outside the building was cordoned off as two people arrived wearing what appeared to be white Hazmat suits. A small cart near the scene of the explosion was adorned with a sign that said “ICE off our streets.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on X that what happened outside 26 Federal Plaza “was deeply disturbing.”
“I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody. My team is in touch with the NYPD and we will support the federal investigation,” he said. “Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that.”
This story has been updated with additional information. It will continue to be updated.