Northeastern University Explosion Faked? Investigators Find 'Inconsistencies'

BOSTON, MA — Investigators looking into an explosion on the Northeastern University campus Tuesday night are focused on finding out whether the incident was a hoax, law enforcement officials have told the Associated Press.

The detonation was reported just after 7 p.m. Tuesday at Holmes Hall. According to Boston police, a 45-year-old university employee working in a technology lab was injured when he opened a package delivered to the building. The employee has publicly said he did not stage the incident.

But on Wednesday, investigators said they identified inconsistencies in the employee’s statement and became skeptical because his injuries did not match wounds typically consistent with an explosion, said one official.

The officials could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The FBI, Boston police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are all involved in the investigation.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, the Northeastern employee denied staging the explosion, calling the event "very traumatic."

"I did not stage this … No way, shape or form ... they need to catch the guy that did this," he told the newspaper.

The employee didn't immediately respond to an email Wednesday from The Associated Press.

The case contained a rambling note that railed against virtual reality and also referenced Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, a law enforcement official said. No explosive materials were found and they do not believe the package was sent through the U.S. Postal Service, the official said.
The official described the case as a “Pelican-style” case. Pelican is a company that makes hard cases designed to protect sensitive equipment.

Northeastern officials published a statement Wednesday reacting to the events.

"Events such as the incident that took place on our Boston campus last night can create or heighten anxiety for many of us," said the post, credited to Provost David Madigan and Chancellor Kenneth Henderson. "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."

Holmes Hall was evacuated following the detonation, and the school canceled classes for the evening at six other nearby academic halls. Northeastern was open with no classes canceled on Wednesday.

Despite reassurances from the school, many students remain concerned.

"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," student Lisbeth Martinez said Wednesday. “A lot of people are still anxious and obviously scared of the situation.”

Holmes Hall is home to the university's Immersive Media Labs, which according to its website includes technologies for design, development, and exploration of virtual worlds. It is also home to the creative writing program and the women's, gender and sexuality studies program.

Associated Press journalists Mark Pratt and Rodrique Ngowi in Boston contributed to this report.