A New York prison guard was injured Sunday morning when a suspicious package left near his mailbox exploded.
The unnamed corrections officer was hospitalized with burns on this hands and arms,
The New York Times reported.
The incident occurred at about 8 a.m. when the officer opened the package near his home in Lloyd, New York, about 35 miles east of Syracuse.
"The State of New York has no tolerance for any violence of this sort, and I have ordered a full investigation to find those responsible for this horrific incident," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a statement regarding the incident.
"On behalf of all New Yorkers, our thoughts and prayers are with this correction officer and his family during this difficult time, and we join them in hoping for a full and speedy recovery."
On Monday, Cuomo visited the 52-year-old officer's family at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse and said he was in critical condition,
The Associated Press reported.
Investigators spent 12 hours processing evidence at the scene, Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol told the AP. No arrests have been made.
"We're confident that with all of us working together, we can figure out who did this," Maciol said,
according to an earlier AP report.
Neighbor Patricia Westcott told the AP that the explosion sounded like a bomb and was followed by screaming and sirens.
"I heard the loud boom, and I was scared," she said.
Neighbors were warned to stay indoors while authorities searched the area for other explosives.
Cuomo said it's too early to say whether the explosion may have been tied to the victim's job.
"If there is a lesson to learn from this, if it does go back to the prison, and somehow someone in the prison inflicted this damage, we'll find out how and make sure it doesn't happen again," Cuomo said,
according to Time Warner Cable News.
He urged people not to make assumptions before the investigation is complete.
"The temptation is let's hypothesize and suggest the conclusion," he said. "That can be dangerous, it can be misleading. Let's get the facts, and once we have the facts, we'll make a decision, so if there's something to learn and go forward."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.