Authorities arrested two people Saturday at New York’s Pennsylvania Terminal and seized a large hunting knife and an illegal firearm and a 30-round magazine they described as a “growing threat” increase for the Jewish community”.
Police commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said in a statement that the New York Police Department is “strategically deploying” resources to “sensitive sites” across the city based on threat threaten.
Commissioner Sewell no details about the nature of the threat or provide any information about those who have been arrested.
Two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the situation said threats of violence against Jewish sites, including the “bombarding of a synagogue,” were recently raised. raised in social media posts and are related to an act of violence that occurred on Friday.
One of the officials said the additional deployment after the arrests was as a precaution and not because of any other specific threat.
Commissioner Sewell said that a joint counterterrorism task force of the Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation and other investigators discovered the threat on Friday and “moved rapidly to collect information, identify those behind it and neutralize their potential for harm.”
Authorities issued an alert late Friday in which they identified a man they said had recently threatened synagogues in the New York area.
They said the man, Christopher Brown, had a history of mental illness and had recently expressed interest in going to New York City to buy a gun.
A law enforcement official said Mr. Brown was one of two people arrested at Penn Station on Saturday. Police did not release the identity of the second person arrested.
Commissioner Sewell said “eye-catching MTA officers” arrested the two as they were entering Penn Station.
William K. Rashbaum and Rose Chelsia Marcius contribution report.
