A troubling video has surfaced showing a man, suspected of being a bomber, igniting a fire and hurling a device at a neighbor’s home, just days before authorities discovered multiple pipe bombs concealed in his suburban New York apartment.
Raymond Elders, 65, was reportedly apprehended on Monday in White Plains, where he had dark residue on his hands and was holding a lighter. He faces suspicions of using numerous explosives to instill fear among his neighbors over a period of weeks, according to officials.
The incident unfolded on May 18, when Elders was allegedly recorded by a doorbell camera dropping what seemed to be explosive devices into a residence in broad daylight. CBS News has provided coverage of this event.
The video depicts Elders as he appears to panic and attempts to shield his face with a hooded sweatshirt just as an explosion occurs nearby.
His arrest followed numerous complaints from residents of his tree-lined neighborhood, as they had reported hearing loud booms—initially thought to be related to a transformer explosion—over several weeks.
Police responded early one morning after a particularly loud bang startled the area. They quickly focused on Elders, who was found near a strange explosive device located by a doorway.
The situation escalated with a shared video that captured Elders igniting and tossing a small explosive just ten days earlier, resulting in a loud explosion as he fled. Authorities have launched an in-depth investigation involving the FBI and ATF at his apartment.
Ultimately, at least 25 complete pipe bombs and materials for making explosives were uncovered in his home, officials explained.
While a specific motive has not been confirmed, it is suspected that the incidents are tied to a conflict with a neighbor, as reported by WABC.
Elders now faces numerous charges, including those related to the use of weapons of mass destruction.
