TRIBECA, Manhattan — Police investigated a suspicious package addressed to actor Robert De Niro at a Tribeca building Thursday morning, a day after potential explosive devices were addressed to top Democrats and CNN’s New York City headquarters.
Authorities responded to 375 Greenwich Street in the vicinity of Greenwich and Franklin streets.
The suspected explosive device sent to De Niro may have been sitting in the mailroom of his building for a day or more before it was discovered, according to law enforcement officials.
The package was found after a retired NYPD intelligence bureau detective was watching television early Thursday, saw an image of a bomb found earlier in the week and thought its packaging looked similar to mail he previously screened for De Niro’s production company.
The retired detective contacted the NYPD’s bomb squad immediately, and the package was safely located.
Tribeca Enterprises confirmed the package was received, and everyone is safe.
“A suspicious package was received. We called the police. They took it out and went through all safety procedures. It was addressed to Robert De Niro and is similar packaging to the others. It is an open investigation. Everyone is safe and the building is open.”
The device was safely removed from the location and moved to Rodman’s Neck in the Bronx.
The location was described as a “secure facility” by NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill. AIR11 is overhead as the package is transported. Click here to watch.
During the ordeal, police cautioned people to avoid the area and expect heavy police presence and traffic.
According to police, the device appears to be a similar device to the ones sent to top Democrats including former President Barack Obama and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, as well as her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Also on Thursday, a package similar to those sent to Obama and the Clintons was intercepted in Delaware. It was addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden, sources tell the Associated Press.
Authorities found bombs this week intended for several top Democrats: the Clintons, Obama, Biden, Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters and former Attorney General Eric Holder.
CNN’s New York City headquarters also received a package that was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, who appears on air on other broadcast and cable outlets.
The first package was sent to George Soros, a billionaire philanthropist and target of right-wing conspiracy theories, on Monday, the AP reports.
At least five packages discovered this week all had a similar return address: Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, but with her name misspelled. There is no information to suggest she sent the packages.
AIR11 was overhead as the package was transported to a secure facility in the Bronx:
