NIAGARA FALLS, NY – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently looking into a vehicle explosion that transpired on Wednesday at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the United States and Canada. The vehicle was reportedly en route from the U.S. to Canada, heading towards the border officer building when the incident occurred.
In response to the explosion, all bridges in the vicinity were shut down and all government buildings were promptly evacuated. The incident was initially treated as a possible attack due to the magnitude of the explosion. However, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has reassured the public that there is no evidence to suggest that this was a terrorist attack. She further clarified that a local individual was involved in the incident and that both occupants of the vehicle were killed.
The incident, which also resulted in minor injuries to a 27-year-old male, led to the closure of international border crossing points between Canada and Western New York. The injured individual was taken to Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor cuts and back pain.
Surveillance footage released by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol captured the vehicle going airborne before the explosion. One officer from the agency was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries but was later discharged.
The FBI’s initial assessment, according to U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, suggests that the incident was not terrorism-related. However, the investigation is ongoing. The Rainbow Bridge, which connects Niagara Falls, New York with Niagara Falls, Canada, was the site of the incident.
In a statement, the FBI Buffalo Field Office stated that the investigation at the scene of the Rainbow Bridge incident has been concluded. No explosive materials or links to terrorism were identified, and the case has been handed over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation.