“Potentially destructive devices” sent to Clinton, Obama, CNN prompt massive response

• “Suspicious packages” received at multiple locations this week “contain potentially destructive devices,” the FBI said.
• Packages identified as of Wednesday were addressed to former President Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Attorney General Eric Holder and George Soros.
• All packages had a return address of “Debbie Wasserman Shultz,” the FBI said.
• The package addressed to Brennan was sent to CNN’s offices in New York City. It contained what appeared to be a live explosive device, and an envelope containing white powder.
• A suspicious package addressed to Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters was intercepted at a House mail facility, two sources told CBS News.

A sprawling investigation unfolded Wednesday as authorities scrambled to respond to a series of suspicious packages. The Secret Service intercepted two packages that were addressed to former President Obama’s home in Washington and Bill and Hillary Clinton’s residence in Westchester County, New York.

Another package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan at the New York City offices of CNN, prompting CNN’s bureau and the Time Warner Center to evacuate.

A package that was originally addressed to former Attorney General Eric Holder didn’t arrive at the address it was intended to reach and was rerouted to the listed return address — the Florida office of former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Crude but functional low-ordnance explosive devices found in at least two of the packages consisted of a pipe, wires and black powder, a law enforcement official told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton.

FBI: Packages had a return address of “Debbie Wasserman Shultz”

The FBI says suspicious packages received between Monday and Wednesday at multiple locations in the New York and Washington, D.C., areas and Florida “contain potentially destructive devices.”

The FBI said packages identified as of Wednesday were addressed to George Soros, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Obama, former CIA Director John Brennan and former Attorney General Eric Holder.

“The packages were mailed in manila envelopes with bubble wrap interior,” the FBI said in a statement. “The packages were affixed with computer-printed address labels and six Forever stamps. All packages had a return address of ‘DEBBIE WASSERMAN SHULTZ’ [sic] in Florida.”

It said the packages were “similar” in their appearance, “as depicted in the below photograph.” The FBI said addresses on the envelope were removed for privacy reasons:

​Suspicious package removed from Wasserman Schultz’s office

The building that houses Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s office in Sunrise, Florida, was evacuated Wednesday after a suspicious package arrived in the mail.

The package was removed safely from the building and taken to an FBI lab where it will be examined, CBS Miami reported.

The package was originally addressed to Eric Holder, but was sent to the wrong address and returned to the return address, the office of Wasserman Schultz.

Trump on suspicious packages: “We have to unify”

President Trump said Wednesday afternoon that “acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.” He said in these times “we have to unify.”

Speaking at a White House event Wednesday, Mr. Trump said he’s been briefed about the several suspicious packages sent to top Democrats.

“The full weight of our government is being deployed to conduct this investigation and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice,” he said. “We will spare no resources or expense in this effort.”

He also said, “We’re extremely angry, upset, unhappy about what we witnessed this morning and we will get to the bottom of it.”

“The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority.”

Watch his remarks:

NYPD: Cuomo did not receive a package bomb

The New York City Police Department said a suspicious package at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office has been cleared by NYPD personnel and is unrelated to other devices.

Cuomo said earlier Wednesday that his Manhattan office had received a suspicious device.

Suspicious package to Rep. Maxine Waters intercepted

A suspicious package addressed to Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters was intercepted at a House mail facility, two sources told CBS News. The name on the return address was Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Later on Wednesday, Waters issued a statement saying, “I have been informed by U.S. Capitol Police that my Washington, DC office was the target of a suspicious package that has been referred to the FBI. I am appreciative of the law enforcement entities who intercepted the package and are investigating this matter. I unequivocally condemn any and all acts of violence and terror.”

Two sources said the package addressed to Waters is similar to the others intercepted in New York and Washington, D.C.

Hillary Clinton thanks Secret Service

Hillary Clinton said Wednesday at a Florida fundraiser: “We are fine thanks to the men and women of the Secret Service who intercepted the package addressed to us long before it made its way to our home.”

“Everyday we are grateful for their service and commitment and obviously, never, never more than today,” she said. “But it is a troubling time isn’t it? And it’s a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together.”

Clinton was speaking at a Coral Gables fundraiser for Democratic congressional candidate Donna Shalala, a former health and human services secretary.

NYPD: Devices appear to be crude pipe bombs

John Miller, NYPD’s chief of counterterrorism, said during a news conference Wednesday that the device sent to CNN’s offices in New York appeared to be sent by the same individual who mailed devices to the homes of billionaire financier and liberal activist George Soros, Hillary Clinton and former President Obama.

Miller and FBI officials said the devices all appeared to be crude pipe bombs.

Miller said it began on Monday night with the device sent to Soros and that they’re looking at the devices as a pattern.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he would not be surprised if more devices are found.

“An act of terror”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday: “The situation at the Time Warner Center was clearly an act of terror attempting to undermine our free press and intimidate New Yorkers.”

“But the people of this city have shown time and again that they stand up in the face of terror,” he tweeted.

At a briefing near Manhattan’s Time Warner Center, New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said “we will not allow these terrorist thugs to change the way we live our lives.”

Package sent to CNN’s offices contained device, white powder

The package sent to CNN’s offices in New York contained what appeared to be a “live explosive device,” said New York Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. It also contained an envelope with white powder.

A source told CBS News senior national security analyst Fran Townsend the package was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan. Since leaving government, Brennan appears on television, but he works as an analyst for NBC News.

The package was found in the building’s mailroom. It was described as a pipe with wires and was sent through the U.S. Postal Service, CBS New York reported.

A photo obtained by CBS News shows what is described as the device and a package addressed to John Brennan. The return address was listed as Debbie Wasserman Schultz, although there is no reason to believe she actually sent the package.

Responses to packages by Trump administration, White House

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders condemned “the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures.”

“These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Sanders said in a statement Wednesday morning. “The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards.”

Vice President Mike Pence said in a tweet this morning “We condemn the attempted attacks against fmr Pres Obama, the Clintons, @CNN & others. These cowardly actions are despicable & have no place in this Country.”

President Trump retweeted the vice president’s tweet adding “I agree wholeheartedly!”

Suspicious package at CNN’s New York offices at Time Warner Center

10:26 a.m. The New York City Police Department is investigating a suspicious package at the Time Warner Center in New York City, the NYPD confirmed to CBS News. The NYPD didn’t say to whom the package was addressed.

Shortly after news of the initial packages emerged Wednesday morning, authorities hastily evacuated the Time Warner Center in midtown Manhattan, where CNN’s New York offices are located. Its anchors were live on the air when an alarm rang out and members of the NYPD responded to the scene.

Police promptly shut down the area around the building. CNN said its bureau in the Time Warner Center was evacuated “as a precaution.”

An NYPD bomb squad was on its way to the Time Warner Center Wednesday morning and the entire building was evacuated. Areas around the building were also being evacuated.

CNN reported the package discovered in New York was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, citing city and local law enforcement sources. At noon, CNN President Jeff Zucker said in a statement that police had safely removed the package from the building.

Suspicious packages sent to homes of President Obama, Hillary Clinton

10 a.m. The Secret Service said it has intercepted suspicious packages addressed to former President Obama’s home in Washington and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s residence in Westchester County, New York. Another package discovered in New York prompted the evacuation of CNN’s offices at the Time Warner Center and an enormous police response that shut down the area around the building.

A law enforcement source told CBS News the device addressed to the Clinton home was similar to an explosive device sent to the home of billionaire financier George Soros that was discovered on Monday. The source said the package addressed to the Clinton home was sent through the U.S. Postal Service. Clinton’s home is about eight miles from Soros’ residence in the suburbs north of New York City.

In a statement Wednesday, the Secret Service said the packages sent to the Clinton and Obama homes were “immediately identified during routine mail screening as potential explosive devices.” Neither package was delivered to its intended address.

The packages contained crude but functional low-ordnance explosive devices, a law enforcement official told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton. At least two of the devices consisted of a pipe, wires and black powder, the official said.