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A man in New York has been charged with creating and possessing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), one of which he allegedly threw onto subway tracks, putting numerous lives at risk, US authorities said on Tuesday.
Michael Gann, 55, is accused of assembling at least seven IEDs using chemicals purchased online. Prosecutors say he stored five of them, along with shotgun shells, on the rooftops of residential buildings in Manhattan’s SoHo district.
One of the devices was allegedly thrown onto the subway tracks on the Williamsburg Bridge, while another was reportedly found on Gann at the time of his arrest in early June.
“Michael Gann built explosive devices, stored them on a rooftop in SoHo, and threw one onto the subway tracks—putting countless lives at risk,” said US Attorney Jay Clayton. “Thanks to swift work by our law enforcement partners, no one was harmed.”
The indictment claims Gann ordered approximately two pounds of potassium perchlorate and one pound of aluminium powder in May ——chemicalsommonly used in explosives—as well as over 200 cardboard tubes and 50 feet of fuses.
One rooftop device was found to contain about 30 grams of explosive powder—around 600 times more than the legal limit for consumer fireworks, prosecutors said.
Just hours before his arrest on June 5, Gann posted on Instagram: “Who wants me to go out to play like there’s no tomorrow?”
He had earlier posted on X in March, tagging the official account of the US President, writing, “I’m thinking just now here in NYC that it’s too bad that the wall wasn’t built before the National Guard had to come here for the protests and riots, or would you just drop a bomb on this place…?”
Investigators also allege that between May and June 2025, Gann searched the internet for information on making bombs, firearms, 3D-printed weapons, and background checks for gun purchases.
A resident of the Inwood area of Manhattan, Gann faces multiple charges, including attempted destruction of property using explosives, transporting explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices.
The most serious of the charges carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
