New York governor says ‘no indication’ deadly vehicle explosion at Rainbow Bridge on US-Canadian border was terror-related
Originally Published: 22 NOV 23 13:24 ET Updated: 22 NOV 23 18:42 ET By Celina Tebor, John Miller, Evan Perez and Ray Sanchez, CNN
(CNN) — An explosion that killed two people in a car that crashed at the US-Canada Rainbow Bridge border crossing does not appear to be terror-related, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“I want to be very, very clear to Americans and New Yorkers, at this time there is no indication of a terrorist attack,” the governor told reporters at a Wednesday news conference.
US Attorney Trini Ross reiterated the same at a separate news conference, saying, “Our preliminary investigation of the situation is that it was not terrorism related but we will continue to stay vigilant. We will continue to make sure that the information we have is passed onto the public.”
The incident occurred shortly before noon in a car at the border on the bridge connecting Canada to New York State. Hochul confirmed the number of dead after earlier uncertainty from law enforcement sources due to the intensity of the fire. A border patrol employee in a booth also suffered minor injuries, Hochul said.
The car is associated with a western New York resident, the governor added. Authorities believe the vehicle may have come from a casino, although the governor could not confirm its origin.
The explosion on the eve of the US Thanksgiving holiday led to closures and delays on a busy travel day.
All four bridges between Canada and the United States were closed immediately after the incident, officials said. The Peace, Whirlpool and Lewiston-Queenston bridges reopened later Wednesday, Hochul said. Buffalo Niagara International Airport said travelers should expect additional screenings following the incident.
The leaders of both the United States and Canada have been briefed and are closely monitoring the situation.
“We didn’t know if it was a terrorist attack or not at the beginning,” Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said. “However, every precaution … was taken to ensure the safety of the community.”
He called the crash a “tragic accident.”
Four photos circulating on social media show the remains of a vehicle strewn about the US-side of the border crossing. CNN has geolocated and confirmed the authenticity of the photos.
Thick smoke and fire can be seen in the photos. One image shows a border guard shack with significant damage and charred debris next to it.
Videos reviewed by authorities show the vehicle entering the bridge on the US side and then accelerating at a high rate of speed, according to multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation. Earlier reports had indicated the car was traveling from Canada to the US.
The vehicle hit a curb and went airborne over a barrier, landing in a secondary search area, where it exploded, according to the sources.
Authorities are trying to determine if the person the car is registered to and the driver found at the scene are the same person, but the condition of the remains has made it difficult for authorities to determine the identity of the driver, multiple sources told CNN. It also created a challenge for authorities in assessing if there were one or two people in the car.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia said officials don’t believe the person they are looking at was doing anything nefarious.
“We do have someone in mind for it and we’re working through it through the (Joint Terrorism Task Force),” he said. “We do not have any derogatory information on this person that we’ve identified. We’re scanning his social media, there’s nothing there. We’re still running a full investigation so that’s a preliminary assessment.”
There’s likely no larger picture to look at, but it is early in the investigation, he added. “We feel, at this point, this might be just something that occurred.”
Authorities believe the car was a 2022 Bentley two-door coupe, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
Federal authorities are also trying to retrieve video from a number of different angles because the statements from witnesses vary, sources said.
Earlier, the Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition reported the bridge was closed on both sides due to a crash.
The bridge was reported closed at 11:51 a.m., according to the technology coalition. Camera footage from the coalition showed haze surrounding the bridge.
There are four ports of entry between Canada and the US near Niagara Falls, according to US Customs and Border Protection. All four were closed following the incident.
This is a developing story and has been updated with more information.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly described how the vehicle traveled through the border checkpoint.
CNN’s Laura Dolan,Paul P. Murphy,Sabrina Souza,Maria Sole Campinotiand Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report.
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