Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were sent potential explosive devices early Wednesday morning, though the packages were intercepted during routine mail screenings.
According to an NBC report, the package meant for Clinton was found around 1 a.m. near a home in Chappaqua, New York that she and Bill Clinton own.
The potential explosive meant for Obama was addressed to the former President’s residence in Washington, D.C.
Per the Secret Service, “the protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them,” they said, referring to Clinton and Obama.
A U.S. official told the
AP that the device sent to the Clintons’ home was a “functional explosive device.”
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the explosives and the White House is taking the situation “extremely seriously,”
according to NBC’s Peter Alexander.
As reported by the New York Times, at least the device sent to the Clintons resembled one sent to billionaire George Soros on Monday, another prominent Democrat.
The explosive meant for Soros was found at a home at Bedford, New York, co-owned by his company. An employee
reportedly found that package and moved it away from the house before alerting authorities.
Both the New York FBI bureau and the Secret Service have launched investigations to find the source of the packages.
From the Secret Service:
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Secret Service has intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to Secret Service protectees.
Late on October 23, 2018, the Secret Service recovered a single package addressed to Former First Lady Hillary Clinton in Westchester County, New York. Early this morning, October 24, 2018, a second package addressed to the residence of Former President Barack Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington, DC.
The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such. Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.
The Secret Service has initiated a full scope criminal investigation that will leverage all available federal, state, and local resources to determine the source of the packages and identify those responsible.
