The bomb squad goes ‘clean’ after a Queens shopping mall 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 squad is on site and reportedly investigating a Tesla
- Tesla is said to have two propane tanks connected to a battery
- The video and footage from the scene show a large police presence as authorities block roads and direct pedestrian traffic away from the area
New York City investigators gave the ‘clean up’ after reports of a ‘Tesla containing propane tanks’ near a shopping center that led to the evacuation of the area.
Queens Place Mall was evacuated on Monday morning after authorities received a call about the suspect vehicle parked along Queens Boulevard at around 8:30 am.
Videos and photos showed a large presence of emergency personnel on 56th Avenue and Queens Blvd.
The NYPD Counter-Terrorism Bomb Squadron investigated the vehicle and shortly before 10:30 am it gave the ‘all clear’ signal.
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New York City investigators gave it ‘clean’ after reports of a ‘Tesla containing propane tanks’ near a shopping center that led to the evacuation of the area
Images from the Citizen app show fire trucks and several police cars on site while authorities investigate
According to NBC, the vehicle, which had stolen license plates, caused passersby to call 911 after seeing a small can stuck in the back of the vehicle.
There was also a Black Lives Matter plate attached to the can. Authorities are still looking for the driver.
Initial reports indicated that the can could contain explosives.
Authorities are still asking New Yorkers to use alternative routes due to road closures and to continue to divert pedestrian traffic from the site.
A NYPD spokesman confirmed the ongoing investigation at Queens Place Mall, but said that no further information about the incident was available immediately.
The incident comes just two weeks after a trailer exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day, and amid rising crime in New York City.
Authorities are still asking New Yorkers to use alternative routes due to road closures and to continue to direct pedestrian traffic away from the site
In Nashville, suspect Anthony Q. Warner, 63, died of suicide in the explosion when he detonated the bomb while in the trailer.
The attack occurred early in the morning, when there was little activity in the city, and an automatic message from the vehicle warning of a bomb allowed the police to evacuate people.
More than 40 companies 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% jump in shootings and a 45% increase in murders.
This marks the biggest increase since 2011. The number of people targeted has more than doubled the total for 2019, reaching the maximum in 14 years.
The NYPD reported 462 murders across the city in 2020. That’s a difference of 143 from 2019.
Shootings also increased, with 1,531 firearm incidents in New York City. That’s 754 more than in 2019, officials said.