Victim in Philadelphia package explosion deliberately targeted, police say
CENTER CITY, Philadelphia -- Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross tells Action News the package that exploded early Tuesday morning injuring a man in Center City Philadelphia contained an "actual device" which appears to have been delivered specifically to target the victim.
Ross says investigators believe the device was "target specific," and that the incident was not an act of terrorism.
The explosion happened around 4 a.m. Tuesday inside an apartment on the 1800 block of Pine Street.
Police say a 62-year-old man received the package around 5 p.m. Monday.
Ross said the device was delivered in a manila envelope, and that the recipient opened it believing it contained medicine.
He was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with chest and hand injuries. He is in stable condition.
Police say the explosion happened in the kitchen area of the apartment and damaged the oven range.
The man's roommate told police the victim does receive inhalers in the mail.
Police say there were no threats before or after the package exploded.
Investigators are not certain if the device was placed at the man's residence or delivered via mail, Ross said.
The ATF, Philadelphia bomb squad and postal inspectors are all involved in the investigation.
After the blast at least ten neighbors were evacuated as a precaution.
Residents were allowed back in their apartments once the scene was declared safe.
The 1800 block of Pine Street was expected to be closed for much of the day on Tuesday.
