The U.S. Department of Justice will hold a press conference in Washington, D.C. at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday to address the arrest of Cesar Sayoc. He is the man suspected of being behind a dozen suspicious packages containing bombs sent to critics of President Donald Trump, including various high-profile political figures, the CNN offices in New York City, and actor Robert De Niro. Watch live in the player above when it begins.
Sayoc was caught days after the packages started being discovered near the home of Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as to former President Barack Obama, and CNN. The final ones, addressed to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), were found on Friday.
A law enforcement source told CBS News that authorities used DNA evidence on one of the packages to identify Sayoc as the suspect. He is currently in custody.
Sayoc, 56, is a registered Republican who reportedly was in possession of a van covered in politically themed bumper stickers. Police located the van near an Autozone location in Plantation, Florida, which is situated west of Fort Lauderdale. Sayoc is reportedly originally from Brooklyn, New York, and currently residing in Aventura, Florida.
Records obtained by Law&Crime show that he has a criminal history, including one related to threatening to throw a bomb in 2002.
President Trump addressed Sayoc’s arrest during a White House event on Friday. Trump referred to the bombs as “terrorizing acts” that are “despicable.”
Trump said that Sayoc and any others responsible will be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”
