At least one person had been reported injured following an explosion in Manhattan’s Central Park. Initial reports say the man suffered a critical leg injury from the explosion.
One witness said the blast was “possibly related to fireworks,” but the man wasn’t carrying anything at the time. NBC New York says A friend of the victim also denied that the two were playing with fireworks.
Witnesses told local media that a man was climbing a rock structure when he stepped on something that exploded. Authorities are calling his injury a “possible amputation.” How does one randomly step on fireworks (that had already been lit?).
Even more suspicious is that this occurred relatively close to Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Price laureate Elie Wiesel’s funeral.
A bomb squad has been called in, and there’s currently a heavy police presence at the scene. Central Park has been closed for the investigation.
#BREAKING: no word yet from cops on what exploded; we heard a loud boom from two blocks away. #abc7ny pic.twitter.com/LrkIQW4lGt
— Josh Einiger (@JoshEiniger7) July 3, 2016
UPDATE: ABC 7 provided this information about the incident:
The victim, identified as 18-year-old Connor Golden from Fairfax, Virginia, was walking with two friends when he stepped on something and it blew up, according to witnesses.
Police said witnesses told them the man had just stepped onto a rock when an explosion occurred. People in the area said the explosion was heard blocks away.
“We were climbing down the rocks, Connor was 6 feet behind me and all of sudden I felt the explosion on my back,” said one of Golden’s friends, Thomas Hinds. “The explosion sounded like a gunshot next to my ears. I turned around and saw his foot which wasn’t completely blown off but was severely mutilated. My other friend Matthew was behind Connor and all he saw was massive amount of dirt go flying up in the air.”
This still seems like a strange “fireworks mishap.” Pyrotechnics don’t tend to just “go off” all by themselves, and I’ve never heard of any that are pressure-sensitive.
Source: Allen West
