A New York man is facing federal charges after allegedly building and planting numerous improvised explosive devices across Manhattan, including one tossed onto active subway tracks.
Michael Gann, 55, of Inwood, New York, was charged Tuesday with multiple federal offenses, including attempted destruction of property using explosives, according to a Department of Justice release from the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Federal prosecutors say Gann manufactured at least seven homemade bombs using chemicals he ordered online and stashed five of them on rooftops in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.
One of the devices was thrown onto the subway tracks of the Williamsburg Bridge, according to the Department of Justice.
Manhattan bomb plot foiled as feds charge NY man with building, stashing IEDs across city https://t.co/eUD2DUVMro pic.twitter.com/DJP676cHC9
— New York Post (@nypost) July 23, 2025
Gann was arrested on June 5 in SoHo, where authorities found him in possession of another explosive device.
“This defendant allegedly stockpiled homemade explosives and traveled to New York City with these deadly devices,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in the DOJ news release.
“He threw one of these devices onto an active subway track and stored others on the rooftop of a residential building, but because of the skilled investigative work and swift response from the NYPD and our partners, we were able to intervene before he caused any harm,” Tisch added.
She concluded, “I am grateful to the members of the NYPD, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for all the work they do every day to keep New Yorkers safe.”
U.S. attorney Jay Clayton called the plot a serious threat.
“As alleged, Michael Gann built explosive devices, stored them on a rooftop in SoHo, and threw one onto the subway tracks — putting countless lives at risk,” Clayton said.
FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia said, Gann was “swiftly brought to justice before he could harm innocent civilians.”
According to the complaint, Gann purchased two pounds of potassium perchlorate and one pound of aluminum powder, along with cardboard tubes and fuses.
He mixed the substances, with one device alone containing 30 grams of explosive powder at 600 times the legal limit for fireworks.
Gann also stored four shotgun shells on the rooftops and searched online for “clorine bomb,” “1/2 stick dynamite,” and “rechargeable nail gun to shoot into steal.”
He also allegedly Googled, “will i pass a background check.”
Just before his arrest, he allegedly posted to Instagram, “Who wants me to go out to play like no tomorrow?”
Gann faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all the charges.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit.
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