The grenades were found at this home in the Soundview section of the Bronx. (credit: Eileen Lehpamer, 1010 WINS)
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)-- Police arrested two people after two live grenades and three other “works in progress” were found inside a Bronx home Friday morning, police confirm.
Anthony Cibelli, 24, and Juan Pagan, 25, were charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon for an explosive device and firearm, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Possession of Marijuana.
Cibelli is an Iraq War veteran who spent 5 years in the Army before moving to the Bronx earlier this year. Friends call Cibelli a clean-cut military veteran who stays out of trouble in the tumultuous neighborhood, but said his time in the Army defines him.
“He was stuck still in there you know? Like he came out, he was still interested in stuff like that,” neighbor Juan Gonzalez said. “I would not think in a thousand years that I would be across the street from somebody living with a bomb.”
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that the NYPD’s Gang Division was executing a search warrant for individuals “dealing guns” on Stratford Avenue in the Soundview section when the items were found.
1010 WINS’ Eileen Lehpamer Reports From The Bronx
“This was excellent information that was received, proved to be a fruitful warrant execution,” Kelly said. “We hope to have more information as to what the intention was of these individuals.”
Authorities found a M67 live fragmentation grenade, a military stun grenade which Kelly said appeared to have some metal added to it for “fragmentation.” It is designed to explode within 5 seconds of pulling the pin and kill anyone in a 16-foot radius.
“I can’t believe that. Grenades out here. I never heard of that,” neighbor Lisa Orizal told CBS 2′s Kathryn Brown.
Raw thermite was also found at the location, which Kelly said was “incendiary material.” Investigators spent most of the day carting out boxes of evidence.
Police also say that three other “works in progress” were discovered, including an IED that had been prepared with electrical wires, but no timing device had been installed yet. Two other cylinders were also discovered that could have been used to make fire bombs.
Stay with CBSNewYork.com for more on this developing story…
