Man made homemade IEDs, placed them on NYC rooftop and subway tracks: Authorities
Long Island man accused of making explosives, putting them on subway tracks
FOX 5 NY's Hayley Fixler has the latest on a Long Island man accused of making explosive devices and throwing them onto the Williamsburg Bridge subway tracks.
NEW YORK - A Long Island man is facing federal charges after being accused of making explosive devices, with authorities alleging he threw one of them onto the Williamsburg Bridge subway tracks.
Who is Michael Gann?
Timeline:
Authorities laid out the accusations against 55-year-old Michael Gann, of Inwood, in a seven-page criminal indictment.
March 27: Authorities say Gann posted a message on X and tagged President Donald Trump: "Dear @POTUS, I'm thinking just now here in NYC that it's too bad that the wall wasn't built before the National Guard would have to come here for the Protests and Riotation or would you just drop a bomb on this place while and because they seem to be coming and coming?"
May and June: Gann, seen holding shotgun shells, conducted internet searches about bomb making and firearms, authorities say.
May 30: Gann placed an online order for 2 lbs. of potassium perchlorate, 1 lb. of aluminum powder, over 200 cardboard tubes and more than 50 feet of fuses, among other products, authorities say.
June 4: After getting the products, Gann tested some of them by mixing them, lighting them and causing an explosion, authorities say. They say he then brought the unused chemicals to New York City and assembled his improvised explosive devices.
Dig deeper:
According to authorities, Gann, seen in a surveillance image, stored five of the IED's – along with four shotgun shells – on the rooftop of a residential building in SoHo.
The Black IED pictured below has around 600 times the legal limit of explosive powder for consumer fireworks.
Gann allegedly threw a 6th IED onto the Williamsburg Bridge subway tracks; when he was arrested in SoHo on June 5, authorities say they found a 7th IED on him.
Authorities say Gann told them he had thrown away the rest of the shotgun shells and chemicals in a dumpster in Chelsea, though he couldn't remember the location, he said. Hours before his arrest, he allegedly posted on Instagram: "Who wants me to go out to play like no tomorrow?"
What we know:
Gann is charged with one count of attempted destruction of property by means of explosives that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He’s also charged with one count of transportation of explosive materials, as well as one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices. Each of the charges carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.