Marine Charity Race Bombing in NJ: 3 Pipebombs Wired Together, Only One Exploded

This could have been truly catastrophic. News 12:

SEASIDE PARK – The beach and boardwalk in Seaside Park were evacuated Saturday morning after a pipe bomb exploded in a trash can, moments before a charity race for U.S. service members was set to begin.

Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Al Della Fave says up to three other pipe bombs were wired to the pipe bomb that was detonated, but the others did not go off.

Runners in the charity race had been scheduled to pass by the area at the time of the blast, but the event had coincidentally been delayed. No injuries were reported.

A four-block perimeter around the site was quickly evacuated, and residents were ordered to stay indoors as authorities swept the area for any more devices. Route 35 was shut down, and no incoming traffic was permitted into Seaside Park for much of the day; only outbound traffic was permitted.

The race was a Semper Five event for U.S. Marines. The explosion occurred at 9:35 a.m., five minutes after the race had been scheduled to begin. The site of the blast was about three-quarters of a mile from the initial starting line.

A shorter “fun run” event for youth runners had also just ended when the blast occurred.

Della Fave, the prosecutor’s office spokesman, says it is too soon to know whether the bomb was placed with terroristic motives. But he agreed that the incident appears to have targeted U.S. military members and their families, due to the timing and nature of the detonation.