Cesar Sayoc ID'd as Suspect Who Sent Suspicious Packages to Obama, Soros

Cesar Sayoc was identified as the suspect who allegedly mailed suspicious packages to a dozen prominent figures, including George Soros, former President Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Robert de Niro.

DNA evidence played a role in his arrest, said officials, NBC News reported.

The man was taken into custody in the parking lot of an AutoZone store in Plantation, near Fort Lauderdale, where two witnesses told Reuters they heard a loud blast at the time of the arrest. Local television stations showed investigators using a large blue tarp to cover a white van that was plastered with decals and stickers, before removing it on a truck.

Police closed roads around the AutoZone parking lot, and helicopters flew overhead.

A man named Dre, a manager at a used car dealership next door to the AutoZone, said he heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion shortly after 11 a.m. “I heard like a bomb,” Dre, who declined to give his full name, said in a telephone interview. “I opened the door and saw the FBI there.” Dre said they were told by FBI agents to stay inside as the area was on lockdown.

A White House official told the Wall Street Journal that President Donald Trump has been briefed on the matter. The Department of Justice is planning to hold a briefing on Oct. 25.

“The #FBI can confirm we have one person in custody. There will be a press conference in Washington, D.C. at the Department of Justice at 2:30 p.m. ET,” the FBI tweeted.

Two more packages were reportedly sent to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Oct. 25.

Of the 12 packages that were sent, none have exploded. No injuries have been reported, and expert analysis suggests that there were designed to create fear.

Officials have said the suspicious packages contained PVC pipes stuffed with what appeared to be fireworks powder and glass. Some had electrical wires and a timer.

The FBI also warned people that there might be more packages yet to be delivered, and they urged people not to touch any suspicious parcels.

A member of the New York Police Department bomb squad outside the Time Warner Center in Manhattan, on Oct. 24, 2018. Reuters/Kevin Coombs

“This investigation is of the highest priority for the FBI. We have committed the full strength of the FBI’s resources and, together with our partners on our Joint Terrorism Task Forces, we will continue to work to identify and arrest whoever is responsible for sending these packages,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement on Oct. 24. “We ask anyone who may have information to contact the FBI. Do not hesitate to call; no piece of information is too small to help us in this investigation.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions stated on Oct. 25 that local, state, federal officials are “working tirelessly to follow every lead” in the case, the Washington Post reported. “I can tell you this, we will find the person or persons responsible and we’re going to bring them to justice,” Sessions said.

Reuters contributed to this report.