New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said investigators had ruled out a gas leak as the cause of the blast, but stopped short of calling it a bombing and declined to specify precisely what he believed may have triggered the explosion.
Read more:‘Intentional act’: At least 29 injured in improvised explosive device blast in Manhattan
Under the #PrayforNYC hashtag, social media sites were filled with messages of support for those in New York.
I’m so shocked to here about manhattan, Everyone stay safe. #PrayForNYC ????
— Alex Phillips (@ItsAlexOkay_) September 18, 2016
everyday there’s a new hashtag, when will it stop? i hope y’all stay safe ? #PrayForNYC
— lau talks boys ? (@jxgglypxffirwin) September 18, 2016
#PrayForNYC ??❤ pic.twitter.com/hMMM9Jy5CK
— A.S (@Albs2001) September 18, 2016
When will this ever stop? #PrayForNYC
— Harry’s Legend (@HarryxMendArmy) September 18, 2016
However, many expressed anger that the attacks have not yet been labelled acts of terror.
We all know who was responsible for the #Chelsea bombing as well as the minessota stabbing at the mall. Accept it and deal with the problem.
— Deplorable 1TrueLib (@MrHurricane_) September 18, 2016
PrisonPlanet – Pressure cooker found with wires & mobile phone sticking out and written note.
Not terrorism?
Give me a break.#Chelsea
— DeplorableWalt (@psycotria) September 18, 2016
So someone can create a bomb, set it off in a public place, injuring innocent citizens…and NOT be a terrorist? How? #Chelsea#PrayForNYC
— ☽☼ⓚⓔⓔ☼☾ (@OMGkee) September 18, 2016
Quit writing “prayers 4 those” if u can’t even say radical Islam !! #chelsea#StCloud#Trump not #Hillary#ZombieHillary#maga
— Terry Mazurkiewicz (@terrymaz12) September 18, 2016
While others were quick to assume it was an attack carried out by Muslims, despite no evidence to back up this claim.
@cloudsharrj my moneys on islam and you know it to, i’m sick of every terrorist act people saying dont blame islam #manhattan#fuckislam
— tommix (@T0MMlX) September 18, 2016
@ChrisJZullo We can point fingers at Muslims and Islam, because they are inevitably involved in #ChelseaNYC#Chelsea. It’s common sense.
— Deplorable Valentina (@_RealValentina_) September 18, 2016
U CAN’T WIN WAR ON RADICAL ISLAM IF U DON’T EVEN THE HAVE GUTS 2 CALL IT BY ITS NAME.IDENYIFY PROBLEM-FIRST STEP TO PROBLEM SOLVING #Chelsea
— 70 News (@70NEWS1) September 18, 2016
Face the problem head on and admit the Islam is not compatible with the west. #NYCExplosion#Manhattan#Minnesota#NewYork
— Deplorable 1TrueLib (@MrHurricane_) September 18, 2016
Some attempted to dispel the accusations against Muslims.
Wait for the official statement and factual information to be published, then post your opinion. #Chelsea
— Stefan (@zashovski) September 18, 2016
@Home_Halfway if you automatically assume it wasn’t radical Islam, YOU are the problem #Chelsea
— Deplorable Aaron (@hammerinheckman) September 18, 2016
remember that terrorism has no religion. please stop blaming islam since nobody knows who’s really guilty #Manhattan
— marty,, (@cloudsharrj) September 18, 2016
Sad how ppl are blaming the #Chelsea bombing on Muslims? try to understand that 75%goodness+25%badness=our world. #TerrorismHasNoRiligion
— αвɒυℓяαнмαи (@aalhaddad_x) September 18, 2016
No evidence yet to say who did the #Manhattan. So quit blaming muslims or ISIS, sit your ass down and set down your gavels, judges!
— Red498 (@Red498CP) September 18, 2016
100% done w non-New Yorkers exploiting our tragedies to push a hateful agenda. I’m in #Chelsea now & no one here is calling for a Muslim ban
— Sejal Singh (@Sej_Singh) September 18, 2016
People also pointed to the similarities between the “secondary device” found four blocks away, consisting of a pressure cooker with wires attached to it, and that of the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.
EXCLUSIVE SCOOP: “Second device is a pressure cooker IED. Same style used in the Boston Marathon bombing.” #Chelsea
— Ricky Vaughn (@Ricky_Vaughn99) September 18, 2016
Ugh… the bomb on W 27th street’s a pressure cooker bomb like the one in Boston. Instructions for those were in Inspire Magazine by Al Qaeda.
— Ryan Duff (@flyryan) September 18, 2016
Others used the explosion to score political points.
Bomb blast in Manhattan = win for Donald Trump. The White House just got interesting. Go Donald, go go go
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) September 18, 2016
@KTHopkins … so you’ll be hoping for more bomb blasts in Manhattan? Few corpses scattered round would be even better for Trump?
— Steve Moran (@steve_kiaora) September 18, 2016
People seriously injured and this ignorant, evil woman just sees it as a political opportunity. WTAF #Manhattanhttps://t.co/hWnr6TlcZ4
— Bertha Mason (@ThornfieldHall) September 18, 2016
Some pointed to the timing of the blast, linking it to US airstrikes in Syria on Saturday which killed members of the Syrian army.
@cloudsharrj Let me help you guys, how we divert the news from Syrian army bombing incident? We bomb our own people #Manhattan#issis#Syria
— Dr. Evil ® (@Dr_Evil) September 18, 2016
While you are throwing wild accusations around about #chelsea your government “regrets” acting like terrorists. https://t.co/hjyGg2iP3C
— 😮 (@MorrisseyEnda) September 18, 2016
How conveniently the world’s attention shifts from #US air strike in #Syria to #ChelseaExplosion#Russia#SyrianArmy#Manhattan#UNSC
— Profile Name (@ProterozoicRock) September 18, 2016
https://www.rt.com/viral/359743-manhattan-explosion-reaction-anger/