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1 year ago
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A car explosion on the US-Canada border bridge was not a terror attack, the governor of New York said on Wednesday evening - urging calm 'at a time of such high anxiety'.
Two people were killed when a car crossed from Canada and rammed into the US side of the border crossing at high speed on Wednesday morning, closing the bridge near the city of Niagara on the eve of Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel days of the year.
Kathy Hochul told a press conference on Wednesday evening the footage of fireball was shocking, and it was miraculous that there were not more injuries.
But she urged calm, saying the two victims were believed to be local people and there was no indication of terrorism. The driver was a frequent face at the casino, and often crossed the border, The New York Times reported.
The car hit a fence and erupted into a '40 foot fireball' which left the 'car pieces everywhere'
One agent with Customs and Border Patrol suffered minor injuries in the crash. He was treated in hospital and has been released.
Asked how they had determined that it was not a terror attack, Hochul said: 'No indication based on online threats or anyone taking credit for this - at this time.
She added: 'It's still unfolding. But I didn't want to leave the public with any uncertainty.
'There is no evidence at this time that there was terror activity.'
She said she appreciated the anxiety, and the assumption that it was a terror attack.
'Based on what is happening in the world, everyone is on edge. This is an international border,' she said.
'I won't call it an accident yet. All we know is there was a horrific incident, a crash, a loss of life - but at this time: no known terrorism activity.'
Hochul said she wanted to 'dial back the anxiety'.
'There are still a lot of unanswered questions,' she said.
'But at this time, we just needed to dial down the temperature.
'We are investigating, but at this time there is no sign of terrorist activity.'
English (US)