A series of suspicious packages intended for former President Barack Obama, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate nominee Hillary Clinton and were intercepted by the Secret Service Wednesday morning.
A third device addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan was sent to CNN's New York City bureau, forcing the evacuation of the Time Warner Building located at 10 Columbus Circle. Brennan does not work for the network, but is a contributor to NBC and MSNBC. The device found at CNN's bureau has been removed by the NYPD Bomb Squad who is taking it to the Bronx for a safe detonation. The device was described as a 'pipe-bomb' like device by law enforcement sources.
In a release the Secret Service says the suspicious package addressed to Clinton was found at the Chappaqua, New York home of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. According to a law enforcement source, the device was addressed to the former first lady and discovered there by someone who checks the Clinton's mail. Clinton is currently in Florida campaigning for Democrats ahead of the midterm elections.
A package intended for former President Barack Obama was also intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington D.C. The packages sent to Obama and Clinton were "immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such," the agency said.
The Secret Service also said that Obama and Clinton were not at risk "of receiving them." A law enforcement official told CNN the devices were rudimentary, but functional. A device intended for the White House also contained projectiles.
The Sunrise, Florida offices of Debbie Wasserman Schultz were evacuated after another suspicious package there was found, a spokesperson for the police department said. The area was secured and the bomb squad was on site. According to a report from CNN, the suspicious package was addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder, but it had the wrong address. The package was returned to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's office in Florida because that was the address on the return label.
The building containing the offices of the San Diego Union-Tribune and field offices for California Senator Kamala Harris were briefly evacuated after a stack of suspicious packages were discovered outside the building. San Diego Police closed a section of 6th street in downtown San Diego while they conducted an investigation. A statement from the office of Kamala Harris said the packages discovered outside the office did was not addressed to the Senator, and was found not to be a device of any kind.
Authorities say the packages are similar to one sent to billionaire investor and Democratic donor George Soros, which was discovered earlier this week.
In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders condemned the "attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures."
"These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," Sanders said in a statement Wednesday morning. "The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards."
The Secret Service says they've launched a "full scope criminal investigation."
This is a breaking news update, more details will be added as they become available.
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