New York City’s Time Warner Center, including where the offices of CNN are located, was evacuated on Wednesday after receiving a suspicious package, the network reported.
“The NYPD is responding to a suspicious device discovered at the Time Warner Center, where CNN is based, in New York, according to a law enforcement source,” the network reported in a tweet. “The CNN bureau has evacuated as a precaution.”
JUST IN: The NYPD is responding to a suspicious device discovered at the Time Warner Center, where CNN is based, in New York, according to a law enforcement source. The CNN bureau has evacuated as a precaution. https://t.co/BmgkJ2qaIE pic.twitter.com/Ad8PoQ5kkf
— CNN (@CNN) October 24, 2018
On air, CNN crime and justice reporter Shimon Prokupecz said that a metal detector inside the Time Warner center had uncovered what appeared to be a “pipe bomb” inside the package.
“What raised the alarm bell was when they X-rayed the package they found what looked like metal material, perhaps a pipe bomb. We’ve talked about other pipe bombs or bombs inside of metal construction that’s been delivered at other locations,” said Prokupecz. “Then also we’re being told there were wires. What appeared to be wires inside this package.”
The news comes after similar suspicious packages were sent to former president Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and billionaire financier George Soros.
“I was among the first out. We loitered a moment. I took some photos. A cop asked if I was going to put them on Facebook sarcastically, but his tone made me rethink standing around so I ran across the street,” an evacuated employee told TheWrap Wednesday.
“In a group, I kept walking and I heard someone say ‘it was some kind of device.’ Everyone stayed calm but serious. We all are gone now. I started getting dozens of calls and texts after that, as news spread on Twitter,” they added.
Reps to CNN and the NYPD did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The moment when a fire alarm went off and the building was evacuated was captured live on CNN airwaves. Network anchors Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto abruptly ended an interview and rushed off the air.
https://twitter.com/TomNamako/status/1055101299220512768