A boy from Yonkers has been arrested for allegedly detonating a portable toilet with homemade explosives. Police report that the 14-year-old, whose identity hasn’t been disclosed, was taken into custody after it was found that he had created a device similar to the one that blew up the toilet in Bregano Park last week.
Authorities managed to apprehend the boy without any issues and later searched his home, discovering materials believed to be related to explosive manufacturing.
During questioning, the young suspect acknowledged not only his involvement in the portable toilet incident but also admitted to being connected to at least two other explosions that occurred in the area in recent weeks.
“He confessed to building the device for this incident and linked himself to several other blasts around the region,” police stated in a release.
The charges against him include possession of weapons, criminal mischief, and reckless endangerment.
The explosion occurred on April 6 and startled residents in what is typically a calm community.
Local resident Maria Sigismondo recounted, “I was just in my living room when I thought, ‘Oh my god.’ It felt like the whole floor was shaking, and the neighbors were all talking about it.”
The incident prompted an investigation that involved not just local police but also the Westchester County Hazardous Materials Unit and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, culminating in the boy’s arrest.
Community members mentioned they had been hearing explosions for weeks, with the most significant noise coming from the incident involving the toilet.
“Initially, I thought it was just fireworks. But then it kept getting louder, and last night was really intense,” said Kenny Reyes, a local resident.
Fortunately, officials reported that there were no injuries linked to the bombings.
