The NYPD has identified and charged a man after its bomb squad recovered an explosive device found in a car in East Harlem on Wednesday.
Harlem resident Chontrell Wrenick, 50, was charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon.
His attorney information was not immediately available.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard said the explosive was “capable of causing harm – but not mass casualties,” but did not refer to it as a bomb during a televised interview on Thursday.
“We are not classifying it as a bomb,” he told PIX11. “But the powder that they were using is capable of causing harm – it’s like powder that you would find in fireworks.”
Sheppard said that he did not think Wrenick belonged on any police watchlist.
“We think he just tinkers with fireworks. When we did a search at the apartment, there were more fireworks and fireworks residue,” Sheppard said.
Wrenick and his cousin caught the attention of police while driving in East Harlem one day earlier, police officials said. Both men were engaged in a “domestic dispute” – which led the cousin to reveal that a machete and an explosive device were in the car, police said on Wednesday.
Both men had between 10 and 20 “minor” arrests to their names, police said.