Northeastern University explosion may be a hoax as cops are skeptical of victim's injuries and rambling note
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: After an explosion in Northeastern University was reported on Tuesday, September 13, an unnamed staff member was hospitalized with minor injuries to his hand. But it looks like the details of the case are not adding up, especially the type of injuries that the staff has suffered from the blast. Police are now investigating if the employee who reported the explosion may have lied to investigators and staged the incident.
The preliminary investigation reveals that the package, which was a hard-sided Pelican case, was delivered around 7 pm on September 13 to Holmes Hall on Leon Street, and went off around 10 pm. However, CBS News now reports that the police are now doubtful if there was a blast, ever. Sources tell the outlet that within hours the police grew suspicious of the attack as the injuries that the 45-year-old man suffered were not consistent with that of a blast. The rambling note that the officials found with the package threatened to blow up the university’s Immersive Media Labs which is specially curated to explore the virtual world. The note, which was full of misspellings and typos, also specified the bombs and provided a timeline to follow. It was addressed to the manager of the technology lab demanding him to stop working on artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the metaverse. It specifically mentioned and emphasized Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg.
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The Joint Terrorism Task Force said the investigation is ongoing and active but nobody has been taken into custody yet. As of now, the blast is considered a hoax by the officials due to the nature of the injuries and the note. Boston Herald further reports that the officials believe that no explosive materials were found and they believe that the package was not sent through the US Postal Service.
In the process of evacuating the campus and canceling the following classes, police found a similar package which was rendered safe by the bomb squad. The incident, which is now thought of as a hoax, was quickly brought under control. The campus reopened on Tuesday night and the classes resumed on Wednesday. Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said, "We advise any folks out there that might see something to say something, and let us know and dial 911." FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie is actively pitching into the investigation and said, "We are fully integrated with our partners and remain committed to resolving the incident safely."
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said on Wednesday, September 14, "It's still an ongoing investigation. I'm very grateful to our law enforcement partners from a local level at the university, the FBI who were out immediately responding and making sure all our students and community members were safe. The scene was secured right away and we're continuing to follow it very closely." While the officials are hard at work with their investigation, Northeastern University is offering to counsel their students and staff to deal with any existing trauma.