Just one hour after the Secret Service announced it intercepted explosive devices sent to Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama, CNN was forced to evacuate its New York offices after a suspicious package was found in the Time Warner Center, where the network is based.
Anchors Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto cut short an on-air interview regarding the packages sent to Clinton and Obama, saying a “fire alarm” was going off at the building. The network then evacuated the newsroom as a precaution.
Police cleared the area around Time Warner Center and have been steadily pushing onlookers further away from the building. Authorities told CNN’s Kate Bolduan it was an “active” situation and urged her to clear the block.
The evacuation of CNN comes after two suspicious packages containing explosives were sent in the mail to former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
On Oct. 22, a pipe bomb was found in the mailbox of billionaire George Soros.
Scene outside CNN NY HQ right now. #NYPD Bomb squad here. @CNNnewsroompic.twitter.com/avUVaSKDRu
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) October 24, 2018
NYPD taking this very seriously. Just told me this is active. We need to clear the block.
— Kate Bolduan (@KateBolduan) October 24, 2018
We just evacuated CNN NY office in the middle of our show. We are with our CNN colleagues. Potential explosive device received here. @cnn
— Poppy Harlow (@PoppyHarlowCNN) October 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/TomNamako/status/1055101299220512768
So far, no one has been injured by any of the packages. And officials haven’t said if the incidents are related. (The package was discovered in a mailroom at Time Warner Center, according to CNN.) However, the abundance of explosive devices that have been sent in the days leading up to the midterm elections have authorities quite concerned.