What happened?
On Saturday, September 17th, at around 9:30 AM in Seaside Park, New Jersey, an explosive device stashed in a garbage can exploded along the route of the Seaside Semper Fi, a race to support United States marines.  The blast injured nobody, as complications with registration had delayed the race and likely saved lives.

The same day, at around 8:30 PM, another bomb exploded in the New York City neighborhood of Chelsea, injuring 29 but leaving none dead. A second bomb, fashioned using a pressure cooker, was recovered four blocks away from the original explosion, though it never exploded.

The next night of Sunday, September 18th, at 8:30 PM, Christian Bollwage, mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey, announced that two citizens had discovered a bag with five explosive devices inside and notified authorities immediately. An FBI bomb squad attempted to use a robot to disarm the explosives, but it cut the wrong wire and one of the devices exploded. No injuries were reported.

The bombings are likely connected, according to authorities.

Who was responsible? So far, only Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28, has been charged related to the bombings. The New Jersey man was charged with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer following a shootout in Linden, New Jersey. More charges are expected to follow.

The suspect was sleeping in the doorway of a bar when he was recognized by a tavern owner across the street. When police approached, he opened fire, striking two officers and leaving them with non ­life-threatening injuries. Rahami was shot multiple times.

Rahami had a social media account named “Yaafghankid78”, on which he added two videos related to jihad to his favorites. A video on his relative’s phone shows him lighting a device on fire in his backyard.

His journal was filled with accusatory words against the United States Government and its “slaughter” of Arabs, as well as references to “pipe bombs” and a possible reference to the Seaside Park race, saying “in the streets they plan to run a mile.”

In the journal he also praised known jihadists, like Anwar al­Awlaki, a prominent American­born Yemeni leader of Al Qaeda until his death in September 2011, almost exactly five years before the attacks.  e also referenced the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings.

As to whether he acted alone, the FBI announced September 22nd that they needed public assistance in locating two men captured by surveillance cameras near the scene. The FBI maintains they are not facing charges and are wanted only as witnesses.

Fox News reported on Tuesday that investigators are not ruling out that Rahami had accomplices in his attack, but there is no strong evidence exists that a terrorist cell is operating in New York. The act is being treated as an act of terror.

Clinton vs. Trump: How they reacted While both presidential nominees called for strength, unity, and toughness following the attacks, Trump was quick to inform his supporters that a “bomb went off in New York City,” even though authorities would not confirm the nature of the explosion until hours later that night.

Clinton had a more balanced approach, initially thanking the first responders and saying that she would wait for more facts before remarking any further. In a clear jab at Trump, she stated, “I think it is important to know the facts about any incident like this. … It is always wiser to wait until you have information before making conclusions, because we are just in the beginning stages of trying to determine what happened.”

The act of terror on home soil could inspire more support for Trump’s controversial plan to ban Muslim immigration  ntil the United States Government has perfected a thorough vetting process that will weed out potential terrorists. This boost in support would be crucial for Trump as he heads into Monday’s first presidential debate trailing Clinton by 6 points, according to the latest NBC/WSJ poll conducted September 21.

How HHS Reacted As the week progressed and authorities dug deeper into Rahami’s past, the rioting in Charlottesville, North Carolina on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights seemed to push all other news to the periphery. Sophomore Jack Downey explained, “Yeah, there was massive explosion but it felt like the next day [the events in] North Carolina [were]  vershadowing it.”

Sophomore David Mills, when asked about whether this made him feel any more unsafe, stated, “Not really. Considering all the attacks we’ve had recently, this isn’t the bloodiest or the worst, thank God. I just don’t think we can let ourselves get spooked by the news, life goes on.”

Gallery • 2 Photos

FBI

As of September 22, authorities were still trying to locate these two witnesses.