Massachusetts Vehicle Searched in Niagara Falls Given ‘All Clear’

WGRZ is reporting Friday morning (April 19) that a car has been pulled over in Niagara Falls on 19th and Elmwood.

The car has Massachusetts license plates and contained four suspicious backpacks. Robots and bomb technicians are on the scene investigating.

UPDATED 1:10 P.M.: Authorities have confirmed that nothing suspicious has been found. The brothers, 17 and 20, were headed to RIT and wanted to stop at the Falls on their way. An Air National Guard member called the car in after spotting it driving suspiciously on the thruway.

“It seems that their only crime was that they were from Massachusetts, and one of them looked similar to the [Boston Marathon] bombers,” a police source told The Buffalo News.

UPDATE 12:40 P.M: Police will brief the media around 1 p.m. Here's the latest:

UPDATE: 12:10 P.M.: Channel 2 has live video from the scene (though it's nothing of note at the moment):

UPDATE 11:55 A.M.: Heather Ly from Channel 2 is tweeting as a robot inspects the car:

UPDATE 10:30 A.M: Reports that the car's occupants were Russian or Turkish nationals have now been rescinded. They are, in fact, U.S. citizens.

tweeting the latest updates:

UPDATE, 9:50 A.M.: The Buffalo News reports that the two men were Turkish brothers -- tourists who came to see Niagara Falls. They have proper Massachusetts ID.

"At this time, it appears the brothers’ story is checking out and will not result in police action," they write.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

Police source:2 Russian nationals pulled over in Niagara Falls; 4 suspicious backpacks in the car, robot & bomb techs on scene.
— WGRZ (@WGRZ) April 19, 2013

We will keep this post updated with the most recent information, should the situation develop further.

Katie Swaine contributed to this post

Filed Under: niagara falls

Categories: WNY News