Timeline Of Terror: Democrats Targeted With Explosive Devices
WHAT WE KNOW
- Devices share common designs and packaging: Wires, glass and timing elements inside bubble wrap and mailed in a manila envelope.
- Sources say the devices are not rigged like a traditional package bomb.
- Postal labels on the suspicious packages have a return address to the office of "DEBBIE WASSERMAN SHULTZ," misspelling the name of Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former chairperson of the Democratic National Committee.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A timeline of events related to the explosive devices sent to multiple addresses for Democratic leaders across the county and CNN's New York offices.
MONDAY, OCT. 22, 2018
Approx. 3:45 p.m.: A suspicious explosive device is discovered at the home of billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros in Bedford, N.Y. Authorities render the device safe.
TUESDAY, OCT. 23, 2018
Evening: A routine mail screening discovers an explosive device intended for Bill and Hillary Clinton at their Chappaqua residence. Addressed to Hillary, it is never delivered to the former president or former secretary of state, first lady and presidential candidate.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 24, 2018
Morning: Screening procedures stop a package containing an explosive device addressed to former President Barack Obama's Washington D.C. residence.
10:26 a.m.: The NYPD reports an explosive device is found at CNN's New York offices in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. CNN reports the parcel was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan.
As a precaution, the building is evacuated, several blocks around the area are closed and the device is transported away by the bomb squad. A shelter in place alert is issued.
12:20 p.m.: Shelter in place order at the Time Warner Center is lifted.
12:45 p.m.: Mayor Bill de Blasio calls the packages "clearly an act of terror " against Americans.
Reports of a similar suspicious package being sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo prove to be erroneous.
Midday: A suspicious package addressed to Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters is intercepted at a House mail facility in Washington D.C., and a second such package turns up at the California congresswoman's offices in Los Angeles.
Midday: A package addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder is returned via the mail to the Florida office of Wasserman Schultz.
Midday: Security personnel at TriBeCa Productions receive a package addressed to Robert De Niro during the day but do not realize it matches the description of explosive devices reported in the media.
Evening: At a "Make America Great Again" rally in rural Wisconsin, President Donald Trump says his "highest duty as you know as president is to keep America safe" and notes political violence is "an attack on our democracy itself."
THURSDAY, OCT. 25, 2018
Overnight: A suspicious package addressed to former Vice-President Joe Biden is discovered in New Castle, Delaware. A second package addressed to Biden is later discovered in Wilmington, Delaware.
FBI investigators later revealed that they discovered a latent fingerprint on the package addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters Thursday. They used this fingerprint to identify a suspect.
FRIDAY, OCT. 26, 2018
8:15 a.m. An alert postal worker spots a suspicious package at a postal facility and alerts the NYPD. Emergency responders rush to the scene and recover a package targeting former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, care of CNN.
8:30 a.m. A suspicious package addressed to Sen. Cory Booker is found at a mail facility in Opa-locka, Florida. Authorities had been intensively searching the large facility because they believed many of the packages were processed there.
Approx 11:00 a.m. Cesar Sayoc, 56, is taken into custody in Plantation, Florida, north of Miami.
2:00 p.m. Additional packages targeting billionaire Tom Steyer and Sen. Kamala Harris are intercepted in California.
2:45 p.m. Authorities hold news conference to announce Cesar Sayoc's arrest.