Pipe bomb explodes before Marines charity run in New Jersey

The explosion occurred in Seaside Park. There were no reported injuries from the initial blast.

A powerful explosion shook homes in Seaside Park just after 9:30 Saturday morning, eerily close to the mapped out route of the “Semper Five” race, an annual 5K charity race honoring the U.S. Marines and Sailors.

Those who live in the area of the blast – which was reportedly a pipe bomb hidden in a garbage can – at D Street and the boardwalk, is being asked to stay out of the area that is specifically the subject of the investigation “to allow law enforcement to render the area safe and collect evidence”, Cohen said. No injuries were reported.

The blast occurred about 9:35 a.m. near the boardwalk in Seaside Park, along the route of the Seaside Semper Five Marine Corps Charity 5K, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Although it is too soon to say whether or not terrorist or criminal motives were behind the explosion, Della Fave, a spokesperson for the prosecutor agrees that it appears that the attack was targeted towards military members and their families, App reports. But the start of the race had been delayed after an unattended backpack was found, and the area was mostly empty when the blast occurred.

“We did find that within that same garbage can there were other devices wired to the one that did explode”, Della Fave told CBSN.

By 5:30 p.m., Federal Bureau of Investigation officials said the lockdown that had been placed in the area had been lifted, but residents who live near the area where the explosion occurred would have to show an ID to get home. The race was canceled, and the immediate area was put on lockdown.

The run was cancelled immediately after the explosion. “There’s no word on when it will be rescheduled, but that’s where we’re at right now”. Attorney General Christopher Porrino and Col. Rick Fuentes, superintendent of the state police, briefed Gov. Chris Christie on the investigation.

A race volunteer told CNN’s Anne Woolsey that police and local law enforcement made the decision to shut down the race. “So it still could be terrorism without being worldwide, without being al Qaeda or ISIS or another affiliated group”.

In 2013, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev planted bombs near the finish of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 260.

“(The pipe bomb) could have really hurt or killed people”, Seaside Park Police Chief Francis Larkin said. His brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was found guilty of 30 counts related to the bombings and sentenced to death.