Investigators now examining whether Northeastern University staffer injured in ‘explosion’ staged incident, sources say

The staffer’s injuries allegedly are inconsistent with an ‘explosion’ as he described

Boston Campus Explosion (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Officials investigating a pressurised package that blew up and injured a staff member at Northeastern University in Boston are now examining whether or not the incident was staged by the man who was hurt.

The Associated Press reports that investigators found inconsistencies in the staffer’s statements and questioned why his injuries were not consistent with an explosion like the one he described.

The officials speaking with the AP said they had to relay the information under the condition of anonymity.

The staffer told investigators that the package was a plastic Pelican-style case that rapidly depressurised when he opened it, injuring his hands. The case reportedly contained a letter railing against Meta CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and virtual reality.

Investigators also said that after examining the package they found no explosive material present.

The package was found in Holmes Hall on Tuesday evening, which houses the college’s virtual reality research centre as well as humanities classrooms.

A second suspicious package was found near the Museum of Fine Arts, which is located near the university’s campus. That package was rendered safe by responding Boston Police Department bomb squad members.

FBI agents from the agency’s Boston office are assisting with the investigation alongside the Boston Police Department, Boston Regional Intelligence, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Classes were cancelled at the university on Tuesday night, but resumed as normal on Wednesday.

The university’s provost, David Madigan, issued a statement following the incident.

“Events such as the incident that took place on our Boston campus last night can create or heighten anxiety for many of us,” the statement said. “We would like to underscore what was communicated to our community last night: Multiple law enforcement agencies have determined that the campus is safe and secure.”

Despite the call for clam, some students at the university are still shaken from the incident. Lisbeth Martinez, a student who spoke to the AP, said the situation was still on the minds of many of her peers.

“Every time I go to a class or dining hall or anything in general, people are just talking about what’s going on and what went on yesterday,” she said. “A lot of people are still anxious and obviously scared of the situation.”

Boston’s mayor issued a statement following the incident assuring the public it was focused on keeping students safe.

“I take very seriously that this city is home to everyone’s young people, from our littlest learners up to our college students and university staff,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu told WCVB. “So we want to make sure we emphasize that this is of the utmost priority: the safety and well-being of all of our young people here.”

Northeastern University is a private college with approximately 16,000 students in attendance.