Suspect arrested after explosive devices sent to Trump critics and CNN

Authorities used a fingerprint found on an envelope sent to Rep. Maxine Waters to identify suspect Cesar Sayoc, FBI Director Christopher Wray said at Friday’s news conference.

“Based on their initial analysis, they uncovered a latent fingerprint from one of the envelopes containing an I.E.D. That had been sent to Congresswoman Maxine Waters. We have confirmed this fingerprint is that of Cesar Sayoc,” he said.

Authorities are looking at a possible DNA connection between samples collected from two different devices and a sample collected during one of Sayoc’s earlier arrests in Florida, Wray added.

Watch:

FBI Director Christopher Wray said 13 improvised explosive devices were sent to individuals around the county.

The devices consisted of “roughly six inches of PVC pipe, a small clock, a battery, some wiring and what is known as energetic material, which is essentially potential explosives and material that give off heat and energy through a reaction to heat, shock or friction,” Wray said

He described the investigation into the suspicious packages as “enormous” in scope and “of the greatest importance.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions began an ongoing Department of Justice press conference by lauding investigators and law enforcement as “the best in the world.”

Suspect Cesar Sayoc, who was arrested earlier Friday, faces five federal charges, Sessions said:

Sayoc faces up to 48 years in prison. 

“I want to reiterate the defendant in this case is innocent until proven guilty,” Sessions added after describing the charges.

Watch more:

Note: This post has been updated. During the news conference, Sessions said Sayoc could face 58 years in prison. The DOJ later clarified it was 48 years.

When mail bomb suspect Cesar Altieri Sayoc had his electricity turned off in 2002, he grew frustrated with his efforts to convince the power company to turn it back on, his longtime attorney recalled Friday.

“I bet if I threatened to blow up your office you’d turn it back on quickly,” Sayoc’s then-attorney, Ronald S. Lowy, quoted him as saying.

Lowy, who represented Sayoc in the case in Miami, Florida, told CNN his client never intended to make good on the threat. He said he was sentenced to a year’s probation “and allowed to continue with his life.” 

Lowy said he represented Sayoc in several subsequent matters, but nothing involving violence or threats of violence.

He described Sayoc, 56, as someone who had “trouble conforming” and “didn’t fit in.”

Lowy said he was not surprised that the devices he is suspected of assembling and mailing to past and current politicians and the Manhattan offices of CNN did not explode. He questioned his former client’s ability to successfully devise and execute such a scheme.

He described Sayoc as a man involved in petty offenses spread out over time.

In one case, Lowy said, Sayoc altered his driver’s license to make himself appear younger because he remained single and thought his age may be hurting him on the dating scene.

“He was embarrassed about his age,” the lawyer said.

Lowy said he recalled Sayoc frequenting the gym and working as a personal trainer at one point.

Lowy said he was in consultation with Sayoc’s family and discussing the possibility of representing him in connection with Friday’s arrest.

Bomb suspect Cesar Sayoc threatened to blow up a Florida utility company and said it would be “worse than September 11th,” according to a 2002 police report from Miami Police Department obtained by CNN. 

Sayoc “contacted a rep Florida Power and Light Co… and threatened to blow up FPL and that ‘it would be worse than September 11th,’”according to the report.

The document shows an individual reported that a call came in from “one of FP&L customer who threatened to blow up the building if FP&L turned off his light” and that the caller threatened the individual with “bodily harm.” 

The report corresponds to a 2002 case in which Sayoc was charged with “bomb/threat to throw.”

See the report:

Bomb suspect Cesar Altieri Sayoc was arrested on April 10, 1999 for possession of a stolen vehicle, but the charges were later dismissed by the District Attorney’s Office, according to Matthews Police Department Public Information Officer Tim Aycock.

It’s listed as a voluntary dismissal by the DA, Aycock said.

The Matthews Police Department was the investigating agency.

The arrest occurred when one of their officers “stopped to help a broken-down vehicle and it turned out to a be stolen vehicle,” Aycock said.

Meghan McDonald, with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg District Attorney, said they are prohibited from discussing cases with pending charges. She clarified to say that he has no pending charges in Mecklenburg County.

Sayoc’s criminal history includes other offenses such as stealing copper pipes from a Florida Home Depot in 2014 and threatening to “discharge destructive device” in 2002, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records.

A senior White House official said President Trump has no intention of calling those targeted with pipe bombs.

Authorities have found 12 packages — addressed to 10 people — in recent days.

Here’s the full breakdown of the Democratic politicians and prominent Trump critics who have been sent packages:

Authorities are also investigating another suspicious package intercepted in Burlingame, California, that was addressed to billionaire Tom Steyer, according to a law enforcement source.

A lawyer who represented Cesar Sayoc on a number of shoplifting charges in Broward County, Florida, described him as “respectful” and “polite.”

“I am shocked,” Dan Aaronson said. “He was always incredibly polite towards me and treated me with the upmost respect.”

Aaronson did not recall the last time he represented Sayoc or interacted with him but said it was likely within the past one or two years. One of the shoplifting cases involved a suit stolen by Sayoc. All of the cases Aaronson represented him in ended in fines or probation, he said.

Aaronson said he never had a political discussion with Sayoc. He was not aware of Sayoc’s employment history or where he was currently living. He never interacted with a spouse or children of Sayoc’s and wasn’t sure if he had any close family. 

Sayoc would call his former lawyer from time to time for “friendly” chats, Aaronson said, and if the alleged bomber were to call him again and ask him to represent him in the expected charges, Aaronson said he would say yes. 

The man arrested in connection with the suspicious bomb packages was a student at Brevard College in North Carolina, according to college spokesperson Christie Cauble.

Suspect Cesar Sayoc enrolled at the college in the fall of 1980, Cauble said. He attended classes there for three semesters, but did not graduate.

Security has been heightened at federal facilities around the country in the wake of the suspicious packages, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Friday at a news conference in Calexico, California.

Authorities arrested Cesar Sayoc in connection with the suspicious packages.

Cesar Sayoc was arrested Friday in connection with the suspicious packages sent to prominent Democrats, Trump critics and others, according to law enforcement officials.

Here what we know about Sayoc so far:

Authorities are investigating another suspicious package intercepted in Burlingame, California, that was addressed to billionaire Tom Steyer, according to a law enforcement source.  

The source says the package is similar to the other suspicious packages.

Steyer has donated heavily to Democrats. He recently donated $2 million to Andrew Gillum, who is running for governor in Florida. That donation went to Gillum’s “Forward Florida” political action committee, which is aligned with the Gillum campaign. 

In addition to DNA found on at least one of the suspicious packages, investigators were also able to use suspect Cesar Sayoc’s cell phone to track him, law enforcement officials tell CNN.  

Identifying the mail processing and distribution center in Opa-locka, Florida, was an important breakthrough for the investigation. Several of the packages went through the facility, roughly 12 miles from Miami.

Cesar Sayoc — who was arrested Friday in connection with the suspicious packages sent to prominent Democrats, Trump critics and others — will be prosecuted out of the Southern District of New York, according to two sources familiar with the case.

Prosecutors have been working with Joint Terrorism Task Force investigators on the case.

Geoffrey Berman, the US Attorney for the Southern District, will attend the Department of Justice’s news conference at 2:30 p.m. ET. We’ll be covering it live here.

DNA found on at least one of the packages sent in recent days helped investigators identify suspect Cesar Sayoc, law enforcement officials tell CNN.    

The packages were similar in appearance and contain potentially destructive devices, the FBI said in a statement before the suspect was apprehended. The packages were mailed in manila envelopes with bubble wrap interior, and had a return address of “DEBBIE WASSERMAN SHULTZ” [sic].

Florida Department of Law Enforcement records show a string of arrests dating back to the early 1990s for 56-year-old Cesar Altieri Sayoc.

Notable among them is a 2002 arrest by Miami police for an offense described in online records as a “threat to bomb” and “threaten to discharge destructive device.”

The online records do not provide details about the case. They show that Sayoc pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year of probation. There is also a notation about the judication being withheld.

The records show a total of eight arrests for offenses, including grand theft, battery, fraud, drug possession and multiple probation violations.

The adjudication of each of the arrests could not immediately be determined from the summary of offenses provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Sayoc appears to have pleaded no contest to some offenses. Prosecutors appear to have dropped charges in other matters.

Here’s a booking photo of Sayoc from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office:

Cesar Sayoc, the man arrested in connection with the suspicious packages, was not previously known to the Secret Service, multiple law enforcement sources told CNN.

Here’s a photo of Sayoc:

As President Trump attacks what he deemed “fake polls,” members of the crowd gathered in the East Room responded by shouting “fake news” and one yelled “CNN sucks.” 

The outbursts came minutes after the President addressed the arrest made in connection to the suspicious packages sent to prominent Democrats, Trump critics and CNN.

In his remarks, the President called for unity. 

President Trump renewed his calls for unity Friday after touting the apprehension of a suspect in the case of the bombs mailed to Democratic figures, despite pointing the finger at the media in tweets over the past two days as critics question his heated rhetoric.

Trump declined to mention any of the targets or their party affiliation by name, only citing them as public figures. He also noted a media organization had received a bomb, but did not specify that it was CNN.

 Watch:

President Trump, announcing the arrest of a suspect in connection to the suspicious packages, called the mailed explosive devices “terrorizing acts.”

He added: “We must never allow political violence to take root in America. Cannot let it happen. I’m committed to doing everything in my power as President to stop it. To stop it now. Stop it now.”

Watch more:

Law enforcement officials towed away a van found in Plantation, Florida, where a suspect was arrested in connection to the explosive devices.

The van is heading to Miramar, Florida, where a FBI field office is located, a law enforcement official told CNN.

Law enforcement officials covered the van with a blue tarp before it was hauled off. Numerous stickers affixed to the van appeared to be political in nature. 

Here’s a look at the scene:

Law enforcement sources identified the man arrested in Florida in connection with the suspicious packages as Cesar Sayoc.

He is 56, has an Aventura, Florida, address, ties to New York and a criminal history. 

President Trump is expected to address the investigation into the suspicious packages and explosive devices any minute now.

He’s will issue another call for unity and will mention the arrest but give no specifics of who was arrested or any other details, an official said.

The President will describe the suspicious packages as “terrorizing acts,” an official said.

He recently went back to the Oval Office — which explains his delay (he was expected to begin speaking around noon ET).

His speech is being updated as we speak. 

Florida Gov. Rick Scott took to Twitter to condemn the series of explosive devices and suspicious packages sent to prominent Democrats, Trump critics and others.

Authorities arrested a man in connection to the suspicious packages in Plantation, Florida, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Read Scott’s tweet:

President Trump just tweeted that he’ll soon speak about the investigation into the explosive devices and suspicious packages.

He’s due to speak at an event at noon, and he said he’ll address the investigation then.

Here’s the tweet:

Authorities are investigating another suspicious package in Sacramento, California, addressed to Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, according to a law enforcement official.

Authorities have found 12 packages — addressed to 10 people — in recent days.

The suspect arrested in connection with the suspicious packages is in his 50s and has a criminal history, a law enforcement source said.

While the suspect has an Aventura, Florida, address, he has ties to New York.

He was arrested at a business in Plantation, Florida.

President Trump has been briefed on the arrest made in connection to the suspicious packages, a White House official said. 

White House chief of staff John Kelly briefed the President.

The Department of Justice just confirmed that one person has been taken custody.

The DOJ will have a news conference at 2:30 p.m. ET today. We’ll be covering it live here.

Federal authorities have arrested a man in connection to the suspected explosive packages, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

The arrest happened in South Florida, law enforcement sources said.

John Miller, the New York Police Department Commissioner of Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, just spoke at a news conference about the suspicious package found at a New York post office.

He said the bomb squad used equipment to conduct an X-ray of the package. Authorities saw “what appears to be a pipe bomb consistent with other devices we’ve seen this week contained in a package.”

Miller said an “alert” postal worker, who was aware of the suspicious devices going through the mail, detected the package this morning.

That postal worker notified US Postal Police on scene who contacted the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the New York Police Department.

Federal authorities have arrested a man in connection to the suspected explosive packages, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Watch more:

In a tweet, the New York Police Department Commissioner James O’Neill said postal workers found the suspicious package at a Manhattan post office this morning.

The package is similar to the others discovered in recent days.

A law enforcement source tells CNN that the package was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CNN.

Authorities have found 12 packages — addressed to 10 people — in recent days.

Here’s the full breakdown of the Democratic politicians and prominent Trump critics who have been sent packages:

The suspicious package discovered in a New York post office, which was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CNN, has been removed from the office.

The package is en route to Rodman’s Neck in the Bronx, according to law enforcement officials. 

Rodman’s Neck is an NYPD training facility and firing range in NYC.

Here’s a look at the unit that’s carrying the package:

This photo is just one of the suspicious packages that has been sent. The FBI says the packages all are similar.

The FBI is asking for the public’s help as they investigate the package situation.

The FBI has asked anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov

The packages are all similar in appearance and contain potentially destructive devices.  

The FBI asked people to not touch, move, or handle similar-looking packages — or any other suspicious or unknown packages. Instead, call 911 or contact your local law enforcement agency. 

President Trump is being briefed on the two suspicious packages found this morning, the White House confirms.

“The President is receiving constant information as it is available,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

After another suspicious package was sent to a Manhattan post office, the city quickly warned residents to avoid the area.

New York City sent out an alert at 8:41 a.m. via the city’s NYC Alert system.

Here’s the message:

The package addressed to Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, was addressed to his Camden office. It was intercepted in Florida, sources say. 

A law enforcement source says it was stopped in Opa-locka, Florida.

CNN has obtained a photo of the suspicious package, discovered at a New York City post office, that was sent to James Clapper.

CNN was also listed on the address:

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has a warning for anyone who has been critical for President Trump.

In recent days, at least 12 suspicious packages have been sent to top Democratic leaders and prominent Trump critics.

One of the packages was addressed to Clapper, who has frequently criticized Trump.

Watch more from Clapper:

A 12th suspicious package was just found addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

Clapper, a CNN contributor, called the packages domestic terrorism.

He added that the packages — which have been addressed to Trump critics as well as CNN — will “not silence the administration’s critics.”

Watch more:

This photo was taken just down the street from the New York City post office.

The New York City Police Department responded to the post office this morning after they were alerted to a suspicious package. It was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CNN, a law enforcement source says.

The suspicious package found at a New York City postal facility was addressed to both James Clapper and CNN, according to a law enforcement official.

On Wednesday, a suspicious package containing a possible explosive device that was addressed to former CIA director John Brennan was delivered to CNN’s New York City office.

Video obtained by CNN shows police evacuating the area around the Manhattan post office where another package was found.

The package — the 12th — was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, according to a law enforcement official.

Here’s the footage:

The suspicious package found at New York City post office was addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, according to a law enforcement official.

The FBI Just tweeted that an 11th package addressed to Sen. Cory Booker has been found in Florida.

This comes one day after three additional packages — the 8th, 9th and 10th in the series — were found addressed to Robert De Niro and Joe Biden.

The suspicious package found at a New York City postal facility is similar to the other packages, according to a law enforcement official.

A law enforcement official tells CNN the New York Police Department is responding to a suspicious package at a postal facility with the address of 322 West 52nd street.

Here’s a look at the scene:

A package was found last night in Florida addressed to New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, according to multiple law enforcement officials.

FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney would not confirm the origin of the packages Thursday, despite reports that investigators believe some came from Florida.

Several of the packages went through a US Postal facility in Opa-locka, Florida, two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation said.

“Some were obviously in the postal system,” Sweeney said. “I’ll leave it at that.”

The Miami-Dade Police Department tweeted that its bomb squad and K-9 Unit are providing assistance to federal partners at the USPS Opa-locka mail facility.

“This assistance is as a precautionary measure,” it said. “We cannot provide additional information at this time due to the active nature of this federal investigation.”

A Miami-Dade police bomb squad and K-9 unit were called to assist with the ongoing suspicious package investigation at a mail processing and distribution center in Opa-Locka, Florida, the department tweeted.

According to two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, authorities believe several of the packages went through the US Postal Service facility, roughly 12 miles from Miami.

Watch:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the series of suspicious packages that were sent to prominent Democrats and others as “deeply concerning.”

Trudeau went on to say that Canada was ready to assist the US.

“I want to ensure all Canadians that we are monitoring the situation closely and as always Canada stands ready to provide assistance to our American friends and allies if need be,” he said.

While speaking at a campaign event in Plantation, Florida, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz addressed the suspicious package delivered to her office in Sunrise, Florida.

She praised her “brave staffers” and told the audience to “always choose love, compassion and honest communication.”

“We will never be cowed into submission by people who hate,” she said. “Never. Never.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is in Buffalo for a speech this evening, was asked in Lancaster, New York, about the devices that were sent to him and other prominent Democrats this week.

Biden said he will talk about the packages during his speech, but he hopes “this has been enough of a shockwave for people to say, ‘OK, enough is enough.’”

Authorities believe several of the packages went through the processing and distribution center in Opa-Locka, Florida, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation. 

According to an US Postal Service employee, this facility, roughly 12 miles from Miami, handles mail that is incoming and outgoing from south Florida.

The packages that were sent to CNN, the Clintons, and actor Robert De Niro were taken to Rodman’s Neck shooting range and then to the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, this afternoon, according to John Miller, deputy commissioner for NYPD’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism.

The packages were sent “to be examined by [FBI’s] explosives people so that all the evidence from all of these incidents are in one place,” he said at a press conference Thursday.

FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney would not confirm the origin of the packages delivered Monday, despite reports that investigators believe some of the packages might have originated in Florida.

He stressed that investigators must be careful with sharing information with the public, and that they could not “disclose information that could adversely impact our investigation or a future prosecution.”

“Some were obviously in the postal system. I’ll leave it at that,” he said in an ongoing news conference.

Phillip Bartley, inspector in charge of the US Postal Inspection Service in New York division, said more than 600,000 postal workers were looking for the packages.

“We have the eyes and ears looking for these packages,” he said.

Ten packages have been found so far, Bartley added.

“I will say in the postal network, we have found nothing in the last eight hours,” he said.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday afternoon, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked federal and state officials for their response and the ongoing investigation.

He also praised the city’s response, and “the kind of strength and the kind of resiliency that this city is famous for. It makes me very, very proud of all 8.6 million New Yorkers, that they have handled the situation with a real sense of resolve.”

De Blasio condemned the package as “the definition of terrorism,” and stressed that it was important for New Yorkers to continue normal life undeterred and unintimidated.

De Blasio also urged the public to help address the political division by creating “a tone of civility, a tone of mutual respect.”

“We shouldn’t just ask what are the most prominent voices doing. We also have the ask the question are all of us treating each other with respect, treating men and women in law enforcement with respect, people in the media who report the news, treating them with respect,” he said.

An initial analysis of the powder found in suspicious packages sent to New York addresses “did not contain a biological threat,” FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney said in an ongoing press conference in New York City.

Testing on the powder is ongoing, he added.

New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill began an ongoing news conference Thursday afternoon by assuring New Yorkers that they were safe and that there are no credible threats to any individuals or organizations in the city.

He also described the current “far-reaching” investigation into the packages, saying, “I can say with certainty we will identify and arrest a person or people responsible for these acts. Make no mistake.”

At the end of his opening remarks, O’Neill said, “I’ll conclude by reminding everyone that law enforcement professionals do not care about the politics behind these acts. What we do care about is keeping the public we serve safe. That’s it.”

Watch:

President Trump called New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Thursday and the two spoke about the ongoing investigation into the suspicious packages, Cuomo told CNN’s Brooke Baldwin.

“He pledged full support from all federal authorities,” Cuomo said, adding that he told Trump that he believes the state and federal government are working well together.

Asked if the President’s rhetoric was a part of the conversation, Cuomo said: “The conversation with the President was only about the law enforcement and the investigation.”

The FBI and New York Police Department will brief the media soon on the latest in the package bomb investigation at NYPD Headquarters.

New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, Mayor Bill de Blasio, FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney, and other law enforcement leadership are scheduled to speak at 3:30 p.m. ET.

CNN Political Director David Chalian discusses President Trump’s political response following yesterday’s domestic terrorism event and how President Trump has successfully changed the Republican Party into his own framework.

Click here to listen. Subscribe to the Daily DC podcast here.

Investigators believe some of the packages may have originated in Florida, according to one law enforcement official.

A second law enforcement official said federal investigators are in Florida investigating leads.

Authorities are questioning why none of the bombs went off. 

The FBI called them “potentially destructive devices” in the press release. So either the bomb maker was good enough to ensure none would go off and never intended them to explode – or they were poorly constructed. 

However, the presence of what is believed to be pyrotechnic powder is one reason why authorities consider them to be potentially destructive.

Though it appears they were handled through the postal system – jostled and moved – without any explosion, outside experts who have viewed photos of the devices have pointed to the lack of a triggering mechanism, suggesting they perhaps were never meant to explode.

The construct includes very common components, making it more difficult to get clues from the signature of the bomb. But the components could still provide clues – like the clock and the tape used. 

A bomb truck containing the CNN device is currently on the road to the FBI lab at Quantico, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

The FBI bomb truck left New York City around 10:30 a.m. ET, the source said.

The suspicious powder from the CNN package was tested and initially deemed not to be anthrax or known agents, the source said. Additional testing will continue over the coming days.

Authorities are not giving credence to the reports of an image of the ISIS flag on the device, meaning they do not believe it’s international terrorism, the source said. The image appears to be a spoof of an ISIS flag that has been widely circulated on the internet — an image that essentially parodies the ISIS flag, the source added.

Various federal agencies are now reviewing security protocols involving former cabinet-level and other high-profile officials, following this week’s discovery of suspected pipe bombs sent to Obama administration officials, according to two individuals familiar with the government’s response to the investigation.

Government agencies have been proactively contacting some former officials to make sure they are aware of the ongoing pipe bomb incidents, and that they remain vigilant and report any suspicious packages to law enforcement. 

Although cabinet-level and senior agency officials do not maintain protective details after their departure from office, it is common for agency protective operations teams to maintain contact with them to help lessen any perceived threats or identity theft that might result from their high-profile posture.

The 10 suspicious packages discovered over the past few days were all sent to individuals who have been highly critical of the President — and who have been on the receiving end of some of Trump’s criticism.

Here are some comments Trump has made about the intended recipients of the bombs:

Liberal billionaire George Soros

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Former President Barack Obama

Former CIA Director John Brennan, via CNN offices in New York  

Former Attorney General Eric Holder

Former Vice President Joe Biden

California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters

Actor Robert De Niro 

President Trump believes he is being unfairly linked to the serial package bombing incidents and has no current plans to claim any personal responsibility that his rhetoric has contributed to the attempted attacks, two people who have spoken to him today said.

The President received an update on the latest incidents today. He is telling aides he is confident the authorities will find the suspect or suspects.

He has no immediate plans to call this domestic terrorism (pending investigation), a White House official said.

The President’s view today on the potential serial bomber is clear from his tweets blaming the media, which he believes is true and thinks his supporters will as well. 

White House aides are taking their cues from the President, who has shown no signs so far today of changing his approach in responding to this. 

Here’s how White House press secretary Sarah Sanders answered questions this morning:

We’ve been closely tracking the discoveries of explosive devices that were sent to a number of prominent individuals who have spoken out against President Trump, but we haven’t as heard much about the manhunt for the person or people who sent the packages.

Here are five things we know:

Programming alert: New York City Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill, Mayor Bill deBlasio, FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney, and other law enforcement leadership will brief the media on the latest in the package bomb investigation at NYPD Headquarters at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is being updated on the latest information regarding the suspicious packages by the FBI right now, according to a Justice Department official.

Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs, who is prone to peddling conspiracy theories and is a prominent supporter of President Trump, asserted without evidence on Thursday that it was “fake news” that suspicious packages were mailed this week to high-profile Democrats and the New York City offices of CNN.

“Fake bombs,” Dobbs wrote in a tweet posted to his verified account Thursday morning. “Who could possibly benefit by so much fakery?”

Dobbs deleted his tweet after immediate and widespread condemnation. Authorities have said that the bombs found in the packages were rudimentary, but functional.

It was not clear if Dobbs’ tweet violated the standards of the Fox Business Network or whether he would face any disciplinary action.

Spokespeople for Fox Business did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FBI said in a tweet Thursday morning that it could confirm three more packages that were “similar in appearance to the others.”

This brings the total to 10 suspicious packages that have been discovered since earlier this week.

The package addressed to Robert De Niro arrived Wednesday morning in the general mailing room, a law enforcement official tells CNN.

A retired police officer working there discovered the package yesterday, but didn’t think anything of it and left it in his office. 

After seeing news reports, he realized the package was similar to the other mail bombs and called NYPD’s 1st precinct at 4:00 a.m.

The NYPD then responded with their Emergency Services Unit units and the bomb squad. 

The package was removed around 7:00 a.m. and was never opened.

De Niro was not at the office when authorities responded this morning, according to a source with direct knowledge.

Authorities have found two packages addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden that are similar in appearance and contain potential explosive devices that appear similar to the others found, a law enforcement official said.

FBI and local partners are now responding to two scenes at Delaware post offices, according to an FBI spokesman.

Local Delaware authorities have identified the location of the two post office scenes:

So far, 10 suspicious packages – each with possible explosive devices inside – have been located by authorities. Here’s what we know about the eight targets:

This map shows the locations of the packages. (Note that the second package for Waters was found in California.)

Take a look:

Speaking with reporters on Thursday morning, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders defended President Trump’s criticism of the media in the wake of the explosive packages that were mailed to CNN and some of his critics.

“The President has condemned violence in all forms, has done that since Day 1, will continue to do that. But certainly feels that everyone has a role to play,” Sanders said.

When asked by CNN’s Abby Phillip about whether he regrets calling political opponents “evil,” Sanders said that Trump feels “we should call out despicable acts, which is exactly what he has done over the last 24 hours.”

When pressed about whether the term “evil” was appropriate, Sanders lashed out at CNN: “It’s a word people have used on your network a number of times, not only to describe the President but many people that work in this administration.”

“You guys continue to focus only on the negative. There is a role to play,” she continued. “Yesterday, the very first thing that the President did was come out and condemn the violence. The very first thing your network did was come out and accuse the President of being responsible for it. That is not okay. The first thing should have been to condemn the violence.”

But that’s not true: “That’s not the first thing we did as this happened. We reported the news, in fact,” CNN’s Jim Sciutto just said on air – Sciutto and Poppy Harlow covered the story live on air after CNN evacuated its newsroom when a bomb was found in the mailroom downstairs.

Watch:

Addressing a packed audience at the Justice Department for an event on combating the opioid crisis, Attorney General Jeff Sessions addressed the suspicious packages found over the last several days.

He said that it points to the “courage our law enforcement officers display,” and wanted to “thank all law enforcement.”

Sessions said that he briefed President Trump yesterday, along with FBI Director Chris Wray and Deputy Director Bowdich, but did not provide any further details.

Stan Rosenfield, spokesperson for Robert De Niro, tells CNN he has called de Niro but has not yet reached him yet this morning. 

When asked for his reaction, Rosenfield said: 

Multiple law enforcement officials tell CNN they have located the package in Delaware that was addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden. 

FOX 29’s Chris O’Connell obtained a photo of the suspicious package intended for Biden. It was intercepted at a Wilmington, Delaware, post office.

The photo appears to have the same packing, postage stamps and return address — with all its misspellings — as the others.

Flying in a helicopter above a US Postal facility in New Castle, Delaware, CNN affiliate WPVI spotted a bomb containment unit.

Multiple law enforcement officials tell CNN they have located the package in Delaware addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden. 

WATCH:

Despite today’s news, mail bombs are incredibly rare.

The US Postal Inspection Service processes more than 170 billion pieces of mail every year, and only a tiny fraction of those – just 16 over the last few years – were investigated as mail bombs.

That works out to an average of less than 1 in 10 billion.

Here are some of the tell-tale signs of a suspicious package.

If you come across a suspicious package, here are some tips for what to do next, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

If you observe any suspicious activity that requires an immediate response, please call 911 or contact your local law enforcement.

Former CIA Director John Brennan, whose name was on the bomb sent to CNN’s New York office, just responded to President Trump’s tweet this morning bashing the “Mainstream Media.”

Brennen is a frequent Trump critic who saw his security clearance revoked by President Trump this summer.

Here’s Brennan’s Twitter response to the President:

CNN affiliate WPVI reporter Jeannette Reyes observed an increased police presence at a Delaware US Postal facility.

We don’t know what this is about, but we do know authorities believe they’ve found the package sent to former Vice President Joe Biden, a Delaware resident.

WATCH:

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio had a stark warning for New Yorkers this morning.

“Someone is trying, or some group of people are trying to terrorize us, trying to get us to lose faith in our government, in our institutions, in our society,” the mayor said.

De Blasio added that New Yorkers – and all Americans – needed to keep their eyes out as authorities “have every reason to believe there might be more, and we have to be ready for that.”

Yesterday, the FBI also said it was possible that additional packages were mailed to other locations.

If you observe any suspicious activity that requires an immediate response, please call 911 or contact your local law enforcement.

Authorities believe they’ve found a suspicious package addressed to Joe Biden, law enforcement officials said Thursday. 

A law enforcement official just provided the above photo to CNN. It shows the package that was sent to Robert De Niro.

Earlier today, law enforcement sources told CNN the inside of the package sent to De Niro is similar to others sent around the country yesterday. Using X-ray images, authorities can tell that the package has a similar device inside.

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN that the suspicious package was on the seventh floor of the building where Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Productions is based.

Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of Tribeca Enterprises, says that the building is now open.

She added: “This is not what free speech should look like.”

FBI Public Affairs Specialist Dave Fitz tells CNN they are “responding with our law enforcement partners to a US Postal facility in Delaware.”

The Baltimore office oversees the entire state of Delaware, according to the FBI’s website.

They said they could not release any further details can be released at this time.

The FBI is urging anyone with information about the packages to call FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI said in a press release yesterday that it was possible that additional packages were mailed to other locations. They urged the public to “remain vigilant and not touch, move or handle any suspicious or unknown packages.”

If you observe any suspicious activity that requires an immediate response, please call 911 or contact your local law enforcement.

In one of his first tweets this morning, President Trump is choosing to chastise “the Mainstream Media.”

Here’s the tweet:

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN the inside of the package sent to De Niro is similar to the others. Using X-ray images, authorities can tell that the package has a similar device inside.

CNN affiliate WABC is following the suspicious package as the NYPD transports it to its Bronx facility.

WATCH:

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN that the suspicious package was on the seventh floor of the building where Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Productions is based.

Eyewitness video shows NYPD officers securing the scene as they investigated the suspicious package inside.

WATCH:

New York’s Greenwich Village was awoken with flashing lights and sirens this morning.

This is what the scene looked like after the NYPD responded to the suspicious package, addressed to Robert De Niro.

WATCH:

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN the package addressed to Robert De Niro had six American flags stamps, arrayed in two rows.

This is just like the other suspicious packages seen.

There was no postmark visible on the front of the package, similar to some of the other packages.

The City of New York sent out the following alert at 5:50 a.m. this morning, warning residents.

“Due to police activity, expect a heavy presence of emergency personnel in the area of Greenwich Street and Franklin Street, Manhattan. Consider alternate routes and allow for additional travel time.”

The suspicious package under investigation in New York was addressed to the actor Robert De Niro, two law enforcement sources told CNN. It was sent to the building where his Tribeca Productions is based at 375 Greenwich Street, the sources said.

It had similar markings to the other packages intercepted Wednesday, including the packaging, the return address to former Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and the postage stamps. 

The New York Police Department is responding to a report of a suspicious package received at a non-residential building in the Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan.

NYPD Lt. Thomas Antonetti told CNN that the package was received at 375 Greenwich Street and that the bomb squad is on the scene. Police received a report shortly after 4 a.m. ET, he said.

It’s unclear if this package is similar in nature to others addressed to prominent Democrats and to the CNN offices in New York on Wednesday.

Two businesses are listed at the address: the Tribeca Film Festival, and the Tribeca Grill. Both are associated with the actor and filmmaker Robert De Niro, who has been a critic of President Donald Trump.

A source familiar with the investigation says the package sent to Former CIA Director John Brennan at CNN contained white powder that authorities believe may be pyrotechnic powder believed to be in the pipe bomb.

Additionally, the source says the multiple packages containing devices were sent by first class mail in manila envelopes with return address of former Democratic Party official Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Sunrise, Florida.

The son of billionaire George Soros wrote in a New York Times op-ed Wednesday that an “alert member” of staff “recognized the threat” of a suspicious package at their suburban New York home Monday afternoon and called police, who safely detonated the device.

“We are all grateful that no one was injured, and grateful to those who kept us safe. But the incident was profoundly disturbing — as a threat not just to the safety of our family, neighbors, colleagues and friends, but also to the future of American democracy,” Alexander Soros wrote.

Soros went on to say that his father, a Holocaust survivor whose philanthropic work is admittedly “political,” has long faced anti-Semitic attacks, but noted “something changed in 2016.”

“With Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, things got worse,” he wrote. “A genie was let out of the bottle, which may take generations to put back in, and it wasn’t confined to the United States.”

“Now we have attempted bomb attacks. While the responsibility lies with the individual or individuals who sent these lethal devices to my family home and Mr. Obama’s and Ms. Clinton’s offices, I cannot see it divorced from the new normal of political demonization that plagues us today,” Soros wrote.

The FBI has confirmed two packages sent to Maxine Waters are similar in appearance to the other packages:

“In addition to the five packages referenced in our earlier statement, we have now confirmed two additional packages, both addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters, that are similar in appearance.”

A separate package addressed to Waters was previously intercepted at a congressional mail sorting facility outside Washington.

Later on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives, Ginger Colbrun, said a second package addressed to Waters had been found at a postal facility in south central Los Angeles.

Colbrun told CNN the package matches the description of those sent to CNN and Democratic political figures. The Los Angeles Police Department said the postal facility was evacuated while an investigation takes place.

Authorities have intercepted bombs intended for former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and several other top political figures were targeted in what authorities are investigating as a connected series of incidents.

Also, CNN’s New York bureau in the Time Warner Center was evacuated after a package containing a bomb, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, was discovered, city and local law enforcement officials said.

To read more on the packages, you can…

The packages sent today were mailed in manila envelopes, had six Forever stamps and labeled with the Florida return address of “DEBBIE WASSERMAN SHULTZ” (sic), the FBI said in a statement.

The FBI said the packages were addressed to:

They said the packages were similar in appearance and contained what they described as “potentially destructive devices.”

The NYPD is reviewing footage from multiple locations, according to a law enforcement official. 

This footage is being examined by both the NYPD Detectives Bureau as well as the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which is a task force comprised of FBI and NYPD.

The device delivered to CNN is currently at Rodman’s Neck in the Bronx and it’s still being tested, the official added. 

Once authorities are finished with the device, it will be sent to Quantico, where further testing will be done on the materials to determine what they are. Additionally, officials will determine how the device would function and who could have put it together. 

The device delivered to CNN was capable of detonating, but it was unclear what kind of damage it would have done, according to two law enforcement sources. 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he is doubling security at key areas across the New York City metro area.

“Out of an abundance of caution, I am deploying 100 additional National Guard soldiers and directing State law enforcement to double security at vital assets across New York,” the governor said in a press release.

The infrastructure points include:

“New Yorkers have never succumbed to fear or intimidation, and today will be no different,” Cuomo said. “We are tough, we are resilient and we will not allow terrorist thugs to change the way we lead our lives. We will not let terrorism win — not today, not ever.”

The FBI is warning the public to remain vigilant after bombs and suspicious packages were intercepted.

“It is possible that additional packages were mailed to other locations,” the FBI said in a statement. “[Do] not touch, move or handle any suspicious or unknown packages.”

The FBI is asking the public for help with information on the bombs and suspicious packages.

Anyone with information about the bombs and packages is urged to call the FBI at (800) CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.

If you observe any suspicious activity that requires an immediate response, please call 911 or contact your local law enforcement.

The FBI said the bomb and suspicious packages received over the last two days will be sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis.

“We have committed the full strength of the FBI’s resources and, together with our partners on our Joint Terrorism Task Forces, we will continue to work to identify and arrest whoever is responsible for sending these packages,” he added.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz says she has been in direct contact with the FBI and other law enforcement after her office in Sunrise, Florida, received a bomb this morning.

The Congresswoman added that this “attempted act of violence” won’t intimidate anyone.

“This appalling attack on our democracy must be vigorously prosecuted, and I am deeply disturbed by the way my name was used,” she said in the statement. “Today, my staff and I will hug each other and our loved ones tightly, and tomorrow get back to work serving the people I was elected to represent.”

Democratic leaders Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York issued a joint statement on Wednesday, calling President Trump’s remarks earlier in the day regarding suspicious packages “hollow until he reverses his statements that condone acts of violence.”  

Here’s more from the statement:

Catch up on what Trump said earlier in the clip below:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney responded to Wednesday’s events, referring to them “disgusting” and “vile threats.” Romney, who is running for US Senate in Utah, also called out “hate speech.”

“Disgusting, vile threats and actions against fellow Americans and our institutions are sadly unsurprising: hate acts follow hate speech,” he tweeted.

Here’s his message:

Authorities intercepted bombs intended for former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and the Florida office of Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was evacuated Wednesday after a suspicious package was mailed there.

Also, CNN’s New York bureau in the Time Warner Center was evacuated after a package with an explosive device, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, was discovered, city and local law enforcement officials said.

And on Monday, a suspicious package targeting billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros was rendered safe in Bedford, New York, a law enforcement source told CNN.

In addition, sources told CNN that a suspicious package intended for California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters was intercepted at a congressional mail screening facility in Maryland.

Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake tells CNN’s Chris Cuomo that if President Donald Trump “were to take a more civil tone, it would make a difference,” adding that he “hopes that he does.”

Flakes’ comments were outside the Time Warner Center in New York, where CNN’s offices are located. The building was evacuated earlier Wednesday after a bomb was sent to its address.

The bomb delivered to the Time Warner Center was one of several suspicious packages that were sent to various political figures, but intercepted on Wednesday.

Flake, who is not running for re-election, has been a harsh Republican critic of Trump.

Watch:

CNN President Jeff Zucker released a statement calling out President Donald Trump and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

The Miami-Dade Police Department tells CNN that their bomb squad unit will be responding to a suspicious package that was addressed to Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.

The Aventura Police Department said they were investigating the package out of “an abundance of caution.”

Rep. Maxine Waters said her Washington DC office was the target of a suspicious package. The incident has since been referred to the FBI.

Two law enforcement officials tell CNN that the package addressed to Waters had similarities to the other suspicious packages. One source said that belief was based on the timing, packaging and devices inside the packages. 

It was not clear if it was capable of exploding.

CNN crews in Sunrise, Florida, spotted a robot moving outside of Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s office earlier today.

The congresswoman’s office was evacuated after a suspicious package was mailed there this morning.

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN that the package was addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder. It was returned to the Democratic congresswoman because that was the return label on the package, the sources said, adding that it was the same return address for the packages sent to Obama and Clinton.

WATCH:

The Time Warner Center in New York City, which had been evacuated earlier, has reopened and personnel is being allowed back in the building.

“The NYPD has concluded its security sweep, and it is now safe to return to the building,” CNN President Jeff Zucker said in a company-wide email. “I so appreciate your patience, as I know what a long day this has been for all of you.”

Watch as CNN’s Chris Cuomo describes the scene:

The package addressed to Rep. Maxine Waters had similarities to the other suspicious packages, according to two law enforcement sources.

One source said that belief was based on the timing, packaging and devices inside the packages. It was not clear if it was capable of exploding.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker responded to the “attempted terrorist act” in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon, hours ahead of a campaign rally where President Donald Trump is set to join him.

Retired FBI Special Agent and bomb technician Jim Maxwell said that even rudimentary and crudely made pipe bombs, such as those sent to political figures and CNN’s New York office today, can still be extremely dangerous and fatal.

For example, the Tsarnaev brothers carried out the Boston Marathon bombings using bombs partly made from fireworks to create an explosion.

“These types of devices, if they go off, can wreak a lot of havoc,” he said.

Watch:

Speaking at a Justice Department awards ceremony in Washington this afternoon, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said that the department “is responding” to situation surrounding the suspicious packages found Wednesday. 

“We condemn those actions of the person or persons who sent those devices in the strongest possible terms and we are determined that justice will be done,” Rosenstein said, reading prepared remarks that were expected to be given by Attorney General Jeff Sessions (but who is still at the White House for an opioids event).

Rosenstein added: “In the meantime, as we proceed to carry out our duties we will not be intimidated by any threats.”

Former President Bill Clinton thanked the Secret Service in a tweet after a suspicious package was intercepted near their home.

The FBI said a suspicious device intended for Bill and Hillary Clinton was found at a screening facility near their residence in Chappaqua, New York, but offered no additional comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

Hillary Clinton was not at home in New York last night; Bill Clinton was, according to a source familiar with his location. 

Earlier today, during a fundraising event in Miami, Florida, Clinton thanked the Secret Service: “Every day we are grateful for their service and commitment and obviously never more than today.”

President Trump is still planning to travel to Mosinee, Wisconsin, this evening for a political rally in support of embattled Republican Gov. Scott Walker, White House Communications Director Bill Shine tells CNN. 

Earlier today, Trump received briefings on the suspicious packages targeting several high ranking Democratic leaders and CNN in the residence of the White House, where he spent most of his morning. 

Trump, speaking at an event aimed at combatting opioid abuse, addressed the packages.

“This egregious conduct is abhorrent to everything we hold dear and sacred as Americans,” he said.

The Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the US Postal Service, says it is “working closely with our law enforcement partners on this investigation.”

“As of now, the FBI is the lead agency, so any specific questions about the investigation need to be directed to their national press office.”

President Trump, speaking at an opioids event at the White House, first addressed the series of suspicious packages that have been discovered today.

He called for unity as officials investigate the possible explosive devices.

Trump said “the full weight of our government” is investigating the packages and will “bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice.”

He added: “The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority,” he said.

First lady Melania Trump, speaking at an opioid event this afternoon, addressed a series of suspicious packages mailed to former White House officials, calling the acts “cowardly.”

She added: “I’m grateful to the secret service as well as the federal and local law enforcement for all they do on a daily basis to keep us safe and encourage people across the country to choose kindness over hatred.”

Watch more:

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo issued a statement on the suspicious package sent to Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s office.

“This isn’t about politics,” Rizzo said.

The FBI is currently at Wasserman-Schultz’s office in Florida. Two law enforcement sources tell CNN the suspicious package was addressed to Eric Holder, but it had the wrong address. Schultz’s office in Florida received it because the congresswoman’s address was listed on the return label.

The same return address was also used for the suspicious packages addressed to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Ahead of President Trump’s event on opioid abuse, CNN is learning the President will call the attempted bombings “egregious,” and will label it an act of “domestic terrorism.” 

Two sources tell CNN that Maxine Waters was the intended recipient of the package intercepted at the sorting facility.

Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, tweeted about the “heroism of America’s first responders” following several suspicious packages that were intercepted on Wednesday.

In a mid-day press conference in front of New York’s Time Warner Center, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that his office was sent a “device.”

An NYPD official now says the suspicious package in question has since been deemed safe.

The source describes it as an informational package that contained literature.

President Trump will address the suspicious packages from the East Room of the White House any minute now, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirms to CNN.

Trump’s remarks will happen at the beginning of a previously planned event on opioids, which was slated to start at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Stay with CNN’s live coverage here.

The package sent to the Time Warner Center was delivered by courier, law enforcement sources tell CNN. It was addressed to John Brennan, the former CIA director, and “Time Warner (CNN).”

CNN previously reported that the package addressed to George Soros was put in the mailbox, not mailed, according to a separate law enforcement source.

A Capitol Police source tells CNN that the Capitol Heights, Maryland facility, where a suspicious package was intercepted this morning, processes mail for members of the House.

Teams sent out this morning included a canine unit that swept the area. The Capitol Hill Police bomb squad is also on the scene.

The Senate’s mail is screened at a separate facility, according to a Senate source.

FBI Miami is aware of a suspicious package mailed to Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s office in Sunrise, Florida, spokesman Jim Marshall told CNN.

Marshall said FBI agents are on the scene along with local law enforcement partners.

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN that the suspicious package was sent to Eric Holder, but it had the wrong address and was returned to Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s office in Florida because the congresswoman’s address was the return label on the package.

The same return address was also used for the suspicious packages addressed to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was just asked after his news conference if he has a message for President Donald Trump.

He added, “For everyone’s sake, the President, the Senate, the Congress, the governors, bring down the rhetoric.”

National Counterterrorism Center spokesperson Maura Beard tells CNN that officials there have not yet reached a conclusion that there is a connection to foreign terrorism with the suspicious package.

NCTC says the FBI has the lead for the investigation and added that they will continue to collaborate with all law enforcement agencies. 

Earlier today, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference that the device found at the CNN building is “clearly is an act of terror.”

CNN’s New York offices and studios remain evacuated, more than three hours after the suspicious device was delivered to the mailroom.

“The security sweep of our building continues,” CNN President Jeff Zucker said in a 1 p.m. ET update to staffers.

In the meantime, staffers are working from nearby hotels, restaurants and other locations.

“I want to commend all of our colleagues in New York, in particular, and elsewhere, who have helped keep us on the air as this crisis has unfolded,” Zucker wrote. “I am really proud of all of you. Thank you.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge C. Bryan Paarmann says that “so far the devices have been what appear to be pipe bombs.”

Potentially explosive devices have been mailed to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, liberal billionaire George Soros, former FBI director John Brennan and Former Attorney General Eric Holder over the past few days.

A Time Warner Center mailroom employee flagged the package to security, but did not open it, according to a source with direct knowledge.

Security called authorities, who opened the package.

Despite today’s news, a mail bomb is still an extremely rare occurrence – and that’s why it’s noteworthy that officials are dealing with several potential bombs today.

Here’s how rare it is: According to the US Postal Inspection Service, the postal service processes more than 170 billion pieces of mail every year. Over the last few years, the number of mail bombs inspectors have investigated? An average of 16. That, according to the agency, works out to be an average of less than 1 in 10 billion.

Two law enforcement sources tell CNN that a suspicious package has been intercepted at a Congressional mail screening facility in Capitol Heights, Maryland. 

The Capitol Hill Police bomb squad is on the scene.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said a device was sent to his office in Manhattan.

The governor added that the device was also “being handled.”

Cuomo also said he would not be surprised if more devices were found.

“As you’ve heard there’s a number of devices and there’s a pattern apparently with them,” he said.

The FBI says it is “working in coordination with our law enforcement partners to investigate the suspicious packages.”

With CNN’s Mary Kay Mallonee 

President Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump tweeted about the various suspicious packages that were intercepted across the country, noting that he has been on “the receiving end” of similar situations.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, speaking about the explosive device situation, said this is the world we live in.

“This is a circumstance of being who we are and where we are.”

He added that, “terrorism only works if you let it work.”

This is a photograph of the suspicious package that was sent to the CNN building in New York City earlier this morning. It was addressed to John Brennan, the former CIA director, and “Time Warner (CNN).”

What we know about the package: At a news conference, police said the device appeared to be a live explosive device.

An envelope containing white powder was also discovered as part of the original packaging, New York Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill said.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking at a news conference, said the device found at the CNN building is “clearly is an act of terror.”

 He said the people of New York won’t be intimidated and will be undeterred.

 “We cannot be terrorized if you refuse to allow the terrorists to win,” de Blasio said.

 Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and New York Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill are holding a news conference at Columbus Circle regarding the suspicious device found in the building of CNN’s New York offices.

O’Neill said the device appeared to be a live explosive device.

An envelope containing white powder was also discovered as part of the original packaging, the commissioner said.

Watch the announcement:

A spokesperson for Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris said their California office was evacuated. Lily Adams wrote in a tweet that the packages were not addressed to the senator or their office.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking at an event today, assured the public her family is “fine” after authorities intercepted suspicious devices addressed to her.

The FBI said the package intended for Clinton was found in the vicinity of her residence in Chappaqua, New York, but offered no additional comment, citing the ongoing investigation. Representatives for the Clintons referred press inquiries to the Secret Service, and a spokeswoman for Obama did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Obama family spokespersons Eric Schultz and Katie Hill tell CNN they are not commenting on reports that a suspicious package addressed to the former president was intercepted by the US Secret Service. 

Neither would discuss the former first family’s current location and are directing reporters to the US Secret Service.  

CNN confirmed separately that the Obama family is in Washington, DC and that Mr. Obama had no public events planned for the day but was keeping to his normal schedule.

Outside the Obama home in Washington, where there is a permanent security barricade, CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux reports seeing an increase in the number of DC Metropolitan Police Officers on the scene, who are making sure the media and onlookers stay behind the barricade.  

US Secret Service officers also conducted a security check on all reporters and their equipment. 

A suspicious package was sent to Eric Holder but it had the wrong address and was returned to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s office in Florida because that was the return label on the package, according to two law enforcement sources.

The same return address was used for the Clinton and Obama suspicious packages.

Separately, the George Soros packages is believed to have been placed in the mailbox, not mailed, according to a separate law enforcement source.

Earlier today: A law enforcement source and a federal source briefed on the investigation into the Soros package said it had the return address of Wasserman Schultz, a prominent Democratic member of Congress.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, says “an attack on an American who happens to be a Democrat, Republican or Independent is an attack on America,” in a tweet.

Suspicious packages were sent to several prominent political figures in the past few days.

A US intelligence official tells CNN it is too early to tell whether there is a nexus to terrorism at this point regarding the suspicious packages sent to multiple locations.

Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive are on scene Wednesday at the site of the multiple suspicious packages.

They responding to packages mailed to officials in DC, and are at the Time Warner Center in New York and the office of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Sunrise, Florida, ATF spokesperson April Langwell said.

They were also in New York at George Soros’ home Tuesday, she said.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted a statement on a series of suspicious packages sent to various political figures.

“These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Sanders’ statement said.

Read the full statement below:

A US intelligence official tells CNN it is too early to tell whether there is a nexus to terrorism at this point regarding the suspicious packages sent to multiple locations today. 

The official says the intelligence community is monitoring the situation regarding the suspicious packages, saying it is still very early in the process.

Intelligence agencies could become involved later on but at this point law enforcement is still assessing the facts on the ground, the official tells CNN.

San Diego Police are currently investigating a suspicious package and have closed off a section of 6th Avenue where the San Diego Union-Tribune is located, according to Officer Billy Hernandez.

The building that was evacuated houses the San Diego Union-Tribune, Senator Kamala Harris’ field office, and other offices this morning.

It is not clear where the packages were to be delivered. One U-T staffer also noted that a bicycle pump looking device was near the boxes. 

People in the area of the Time Warner Center building just received an emergency alert notifying them the device was removed by NYPD bomb squad, confirming what we heard earlier from a law enforcement source.

See it:

First lady Melania Trump’s spokesperson Stephanie Grisham just issued a statement regarding today’s suspicious package.

An aide confirms President Donald Trump has arrived in the West Wing after spending the morning in the residence, where he received briefings on the various suspicious devices.

At this hour, Trump’s schedule remains unchanged. He is scheduled to speak at a bill signing event at 2 p.m. ET and is set to fly to Wisconsin for a rally tonight. 

A White House official says the President will likely address it this afternoon — if not sooner — after he receives more briefings.

Through press secretary Sarah Sanders, the White House has condemned the packages and any violence. Vice President Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump also tweeted condemnation.

Trump echoed those comments at 12:04 p.m. ET with a tweet saying, “I agree wholeheartedly” with the Vice President’s sentiments. 

Other major newsrooms in New York and other cities are in a state of heightened alert due to the security situation at CNN’s New York office, spokespeople for several media companies said.

So far, there there’s been no indications of any suspicious packages at any other newsrooms.

CNN’s Sonia Moghe reports that NYPD Intelligence, Counterterrorism and Bomb Squad teams are increasing patrols at media locations in NYC and other potential areas, as a precaution.

In CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta, where parts of the CNN Center complex are open to the public, “we are putting up magnetometers at the entrances to the building,” CNN President Jeff Zucker told staffers.

He added, “We remain vigilant regarding security concerns across all of our global locations.”

President Donald Trump reiterated Vice President Mike Pence’s condemnation of the attempted attacks, writing that he agrees with Pence’s statement “wholeheartedly.”

A law enforcement official tells CNN that the suspicious package has been removed from CNN’s New York offices.

It is being sent to a New York Police Department facility in the Bronx.

See the moment:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement on the suspicious packages, saying that he stands “with all Americans in condemning today’s attempted acts of domestic terrorism.”

Here’s the Kentucky Republican’s full statement:

When CNN’s New York offices were evacuated, the network had to scramble to keep its 10 a.m. newscast on the air. Correspondent Rene Marsh initially anchored from Washington. She handed off to Wolf Blitzer a short time later.

The New York based anchors who were evacuated, Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto, continued to report from a nearby street corner.

The 10 a.m. newscast is usually produced from a control room at CNN Center in Atlanta, so the coverage was seamless on television.

One of CNN’s rivals, CBS News, reached out to offer assistance. CBS is located a few blocks away from CNN on the west side of Manhattan.

CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker thanked CBS News and news division president David Rhodes “for graciously offering their assistance while we deal with this.”

“Really nice to see from our fellow journalists,” Zucker wrote in an internal memo.

As a precaution, the NYPD Intelligence, Counterterrorism and Bomb Squad teams are increasing patrols at media locations in New York City and other potential areas.

A briefing near the Time Warner Center in New York City will be held at 12:45 p.m. ET, an New York Police official tells CNN. 

A law enforcement source and a federal source briefed on the investigation into the George Soros package said it had the return address of prominent Democratic member of Congress Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  

There is no information that the package was sent by Wasserman Schultz. 

CNN earlier reported that the Sunrise, Florida, office of Wasserman Schultz has been evacuated after a suspicious package was found mailed there this morning, according to Officer Chris Piper, a spokesman for the police department.

Ivanka Trump, the daughter of President Donald Trump and a senior White House adviser, strongly condemned the attempted acts of violence in a tweet.

There will be a briefing near the Time Warner Center in New York City at 12:45 p.m. ET, an New York Police official tells CNN. 

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill will be at the briefing, according to Mayor de Blasio’s press secretary Eric Phillips.

NYPD bomb squad officers were seen outside the Time Warner Center a few moments ago, with one wearing a blast suit and another driving a truck with a bomb containment chamber on its back into the building.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, was just asked about the suspicious packages, and what that says about the current political climate.

“We’ve got to make sure that the good people on both sides really run the country,” he said.

Here’s his full comment: