Explosive device thrown near Pennsylvania church polling place, no one injured: officials
Explosive device thrown near Pennsylvania church polling place
State police say someone threw an explosive device from a moving vehicle near Salem United Church of Christ on 3rd Street in Catasaqua, which was serving as a polling place for the Pennsylvania primary election on Tuesday, May 19. No injuries were reported and the polling site stayed open, but the event left voters and neighbors shaken.
CATASAUQUA, Pa. - No one was injured after officials say an explosive device was thrown towards a Pennsylvania polling site on Tuesday.
What we know:
Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel said authorities were called to the Salem United Church of Christ in Catasauqua hours after polls opened for the Pennsylvania primary election.
Siegel said an explosive device was thrown in the vicinity of the church, which is serving as a polling site in Tuesday's primary election. No one was injured, Siegel said, and the situation was "swiftly resolved."
The church remained open for voters.
Dig deeper:
Explosive device thrown near Pennsylvania polling location
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating after an explosive device was thrown from a vehicle near a church and polling place in Catasauqua.
State police say someone threw an explosive device from a moving vehicle near the polling place.
They say the device detonated shortly after 9:00 a.m. under a car as Kelsey Allen was leaving for work.
"Right as I turn left, whatever the explosive was. It goes off. It goes all over my car and I'm so glad I had my window up because it was literally right there," said Allen. Police took pictures at the scene and confirmed that neither Allen nor her car was harmed.
Aaron Rigo, who works at Brubaker Funeral Home across the street, said, "I was there. I heard an explosion. Wondered what it was. Came outside to see a puff of smoke in the middle of the intersection and someone driving away." State police say there is no information right now to suggest the polling place was targeted, but the event made some voters uneasy.
Trooper Nathan Branosky said, "Fortunately, no injuries and the polling place remained open the entire time."
The polling place was not closed, but the situation disrupted the area as local, state and federal officials responded.
An election official at the church polling site said, "We did notice as it was getting hotter fewer and fewer people were coming in because they had to park farther away because all of this area had been blocked off," said Louie Draxler, Judge of Elections for Catasaqua 3rd district.
Police activity focused on a house at the corner of 3rd Street, where officers could be seen examining a pickup truck parked nearby.
Voters and neighbors react to the scare
What they're saying:
Some voters considered skipping the polls but decided to vote anyway.
"I was a little deterred at first and ran it by some family members, maybe you shouldn't go and I said NO, maybe they're trying to deter people so I'm going regardless," said Kuri Edwards, a voter.
Neighbors say similar incidents have happened before.
"We've lived here 9 years and there has been a problem with some people going around throwing m-80's and quarter stick of dynamite from their windows, so I don't know if that is what this is," said Allen.
The event caused road closures and disrupted turnout at the polling site, according to officials and neighbors.
Police are asking anyone with information or video of the incident to contact state police at their Bethlehem Barracks.
Siegel praised the quick law enforcement response and promised voters that polling places remain safe.
"We trust in the expertise of the local, state, and federal investigators on hand to determine what happened," he said.
What we don't know:
Investigators have not made any arrests and have not identified a suspect.
Police have not confirmed what type of explosive device was used or whether it is connected to previous incidents in the area.