CNN bureau in New York City evacuated after suspicious package found
New York — The Time Warner Center in New York City was evacuated Wednesday morning after a suspicious package was found, according to the New York City Police Department. The building houses the New York offices of CNN, which were also evacuated.
The package contained what appeared to be a "live explosive device," said New York Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill. It also contained an envelope with white powder.
A source told CBS News senior national security analyst Fran Townsend the package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan. Since leaving the government, Brennan appears on television, but he works as an analyst for NBC News.
"The situation at the Time Warner Center was clearly an act of terror attempting to undermine our free press and intimidate New Yorkers," said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. "But the people of this city have shown time and again that they stand up in the face of terror."
The NYPD said a bomb squad was sent to the Time Warner Center Wednesday morning, and CNN later reported that the suspicious device was removed from the building.
CNN said earlier its bureau was evacuated "as a precaution." "We are being evacuated right now at time warner center in NYC," Oliver Darcy, a senior media reporter for CNN, tweeted. "Striking scene as alarm went off as @jimsciutto and @PoppyHarlowCNN were on air."
The device at the Time Warner Center was found in the building's mailroom. It was described as a pipe with wires and was sent through the U.S. Postal Service, CBS New York reports.
The NYPD roped off areas and kept pedestrians away from the building. There was a massive police response at the scene.
Earlier, two suspicious packages addressed to former President Obama's home in Washington and Hillary Clinton's residence in Westchester County, New York, "were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location," the Secret Service said.
The devices are going to FBI labs for examination.
Also on Wednesday, police in Sunrise, Florida, said an office building that houses the office of U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former head of the Democratic National Committee, was evacuated due to a suspicious package in the mail, CBS Miami reported.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his Manhattan office also received a suspicious device.
On Tuesday, an apparent pipe bomb was sent to the home of billionaire financier and liberal activist George Soros.
