The bomb team gives “everything clear” after a mall in Queens was evacuated due to reports of a suspicious Tesla containing propane tanks
- Queens Place Mall was evacuated due to reports of a suspicious vehicle
- The city’s bomb team is on the scene and appears to be investigating a Tesla
- Tesla is said to have two propane tanks that are connected to a battery
- Video and images of the scene show a large police presence, as authorities block roads and direct traffic on foot away from the area
Investigators in New York have given “everything clear” after reports of a “Tesla containing propane tanks” near a mall led to the evacuation of the area.
Queens Place Mall was evacuated Monday morning after authorities received a phone call about the suspicious vehicle parked along Queens Boulevard around 8:30 p.m.
Videos and photos showed a large presence of emergency personnel at 56th Avenue and Queens Blvd.
The bombing team of the NYPD Anti-Terrorism Bureau investigated the vehicle and just before 10.30 gave “everything clear”.
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New York investigators have given “everything clear” after reports of a “Tesla containing propane tanks” near a mall led to the evacuation of the area
Images from the Citizen app show fire trucks and several police cars on the scene as authorities investigate
According to NBC, the vehicle, which stole the license plates, caused viewers to call 911 after seeing a small box attached to the back of the vehicle.
A Black Lives Matter sign was also attached to the box. Authorities are still looking for the driver.
Initial reports indicated that the box may contain explosives.
Officials are still urging New Yorkers to use alternative routes due to road closures and continue to direct pedestrian traffic away from the site.
An NYPD spokesman confirmed the ongoing investigation at Queens Place Mall, but said no further information about the incident was available immediately.
The incident comes just two weeks after an RV exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day and amid rising crime in New York City.
Officials still urge New Yorkers to use alternative routes due to road closures and continue to direct pedestrian traffic away from the scene
In Nashville, 63-year-old suspect Anthony Q. Warner committed suicide in an explosion when he detonated a bomb while inside an RV.
The bombing took place early in the morning, when there was little activity in the city, and an automatic message issued by the warning vehicle about a bomb allowed the police to evacuate people.
More than 40 businesses were damaged in the blast and at least eight people were injured. Warner is the only known death.
Meanwhile, New York City has seen an increase in crime.
According to statistics released on Friday, New York City saw a 97% increase in shootings and a 45% increase in murders.
This marks the largest increase since 2011. The number of people shot has more than doubled in 2019, close to a 14-year high.
The NYPD reported 462 crimes in the city by 2020. This is a difference of 143 from 2019.
Shootings also increased by 1,531 incidents involving firearms in New York. 754 more than in 2019, officials said.