Police Offer $40K Reward For Info About Central Park Explosion

CENTRAL PARK, NY — The NYPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will offer a $40,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in a year-old case where a tourist stepped on an explosive device in Central Park and lost his leg, the law enforcement agencies announced Wednesday.

"The NYPD continues to use every investigative tool to find who may have placed this explosive material in Central Park," NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said in a statement. "Someone, somewhere, knows something about this explosion that left a young man severely injured. We want to talk to them. No detail is too small."

Connor Golden was visiting New York City when his vacation took a tragic turn on July 3 last year. Golden had his leg amputated below the knee when he stepped on what has been described as a rudimentary explosive device, police said last year. The explosive device had been left on a rock formation near East 60th Street and Fifth Avenue, officials said.

Law enforcement officials are asking anybody who was in the area of the rock formation on July 3, 2016, and may have taken a photo or video of the area. These photos will help officials determine when the explosive was left behind and narrow down the suspect pool, ATF Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict said in a statement.

"We want our parks and public spaces to be safe for everyone and we want justice for the victim," Benedict said in a statement.

Golden eventually returned home to Virginia after a stay in Bellevue Hospital. The University of Miami student's parents released a statement through the hospital thanking the medical staff that helped their son recover and thanking those that have been sending the family support.

"We are humbled and profoundly touched by the enormous outpouring of love, prayers and support from family and friends, fellow Hurricanes from the University of Miami, the residents and public officials of New York City and the public at large," said the statement sent to Patch.

Last year, law enforcement officials said that the explosion in Central Park that sent Golden to the hospital was likely caused by an "explosive experiment" that is not related to any sort of terrorist activities. In a press conference, Lt. Mark Torre, commanding officer of the New York Police Department's bomb squad, said the device was likely not created to harm people but was a rudimentary explosive created by someone who had a basic understanding of chemistry.

Photo courtesy of the Golden family