Explosion in NYC's Chelsea leaves dozens injured

The Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan was rocked by an an explosion that left dozens injured on Saturday night.

Authorities responded to reports of a blast on 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue at roughly 8:30 p.m. Police said that the device likely came from a Dumpster on the sidewalk, and that it was homemade.

Corey Johnson, the New York City Council member representing the area, tweeted that the blast had occurred just outside a building which served the blind.

New York police Commissioner James O’Neill told reporters at a press conference late Saturday night that 29 people had been injured, and that one of the injuries “may be serious.”

The NYPD later announced that a second device had been found on West 27th Street and that it was a pressure cooker, similar to the explosives used at the Boston Marathon bombing.

Speaking at the press conference, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tamped down speculation that the explosion was connected to a broader threat. “There is no evidence at this point of a terror connection to this incident,” he said. But he did stress that signs pointed to an “intentional act” that caused the blast.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the bombing was likely not linked to international terrorism.

Whatever the situation, neighborhood residents appeared deeply unperturbed.

Another device placed in a trash can on the Jersey Shore exploded near a planned charity race, which was called off.

Some news outlets are reporting that a Tumblr containing a manifesto by the apparent perpetrator, who allegedly wrote, “I cannot live in a world where homosexuals like myself as well as the rest of the LGBTQ+ community are looked down upon by society,” is being investigated by the NYPD, but there’s been no confirmation of any actual link to the explosions.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.