A person has been taken into custody, federal authorities said.
Federal authorities have arrested a suspect in connection to the pipe bombs mailed this week to prominent Democrats and critics of President Donald Trump, the Justice Department has confirmed. NBC News and the New York Times have identified the suspect as Cesar Altieri Sayoc, Jr., 56, of Florida.
A white van covered in decals has also been seized as evidence.
Federal authorities have focused the investigation on Florida, where they believed many of the packages passed through a mail facility outside of Miami. At least 12 packages have been sent so far, with two discovered on Friday. One was bound for New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker but was intercepted at a Florida mail facility. The other was addressed to James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, at CNN’s offices in New York.
Here’s what we know about the arrest of the suspect so far.
What we know
- A person has been taken into custody in connection with the attempted pipe bomb attacks, Justice Department officials confirmed Friday.
- The suspect is Cesar Sayoc, Jr., 56, of Florida, according to NBC News and the New York Times.
- A press conference will be held at 2:30 pm.
- Unnamed law enforcement officials told the Washington Post and the New York Times report that the suspect was arrested in Florida. Investigators were focused on Florida, as they believed many of the packages had passed through a mail facility in Opa-locka, outside of Miami.
- Federal authorities have seized a white van with decals on the windows in connection with the case, according to CNN and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
- President Trump addressed the arrest of the suspect at an event in Washington, D.C. “We have carried out a far-reaching federal state and local investigation trying to find the person or persons responsible for these events,” the president said. “The events are despicable and have no place in our country. No place.”
What we don’t know
- The suspect’s background
- The suspect’s motives
- Whether the suspect had any accomplices
- How the suspect was taken into custody
- What charges the suspect will face
Author: Jen Kirby
