Rich Bentley Driver Caused Niagara Falls Checkpoint Explosion After Canceled KISS Concert: Report
Update (1910ET): Today's Niagara Falls checkpoint explosion just took an unexpected turn.
What started out with Fox News reporting a terrorism incident involving explosives is now believed to be the fault of a 56-year-old man who lived in a wealthy area, went to a casino after KISS canceled its farewell-tour dates in Ottawa and Toronto, and then drove his $300,000 (after taxes) Bentley Excelsior X into the border checkpoint, killing himself and his wife.
CNN is reporting that the driver of the vehicle that Fox claimed was full of explosives was a 56-year-old man who lived in a very upscale area that had intended to go to the kiss concert.. he was driving a $300k Bentley with his wife. CNN says it loos like a terrible accident pic.twitter.com/CPlLuRk2TQ
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 22, 2023
Wheels seem to match… pic.twitter.com/jzmiPMfOLR
— Pete Weishaupt (@peteweishaupt) November 23, 2023
#BREAKING: New video shows the moment a white vehicle went airborne and crashed at the Rainbow Bridge Crossing checkpoint near Niagara Falls m pic.twitter.com/59nlTC8hXn
— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) November 22, 2023
Well boys, that's a wrap:
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Update (1615ET): Reuters is now reporting that Wednesday's explosion at the Canada-US border checkpoint at Niagara Falls was likely caused by a reckless driver and not terrorism. Fox News has also walked back a report stating that the car had explosives.
"Now we told you earlier that there was an explosion because there were explosives inside the car, and now authorities are apparently walking that back just a little bit saying it's unclear if there were explosives or how many explosives," said host Trace Gallagher.
"And so you can see as, as the fog clears on this air, and they're kind of getting a better idea of what's happening," he said, as the network also backed off the 'terrorism' angle.
"Clearly, this might not be a terror attack at all," Gallagher added (via RawStory):
Meanwhile, a witness described what he saw:
Developing...
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Update (1450ET):
New security footage from the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls captures the moment the vehicle exploded.
NEW: Security camera shows car bombing at the U.S.-Canadian border in Niagara Falls pic.twitter.com/wDrZXYGyNv
— BNO News (@BNONews) November 22, 2023
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Update (1412ET):
Fox News reports, citing sources, that the vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls was an attempted terrorist attack.
FBI INVESTIGATING RAINBOW BRIDGE VEHICLE EXPLOSION AS AN ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ATTACK -FOX NEWS
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) November 22, 2023
Here's more from Fox sources:
Explosives were in the vehicle at the time and two people who were in the car are dead, the sources told Fox News. A border officer was injured.
The vehicle was driving from the US to Canada and were attempting to drive toward the border officer building, the sources said. Fox News
🚨 BREAKING: The car explosion at the border between U.S. and Canada was an “attempted terrorist attack” and there were “a lot of explosives” in the vehicle pic.twitter.com/94yOf2U8Vq
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 22, 2023
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An explosion involving a vehicle occurred just outside the US border inspection area on the Rainbow Bridge at the US-Canada Border in Niagara Falls.
Footage from the scene shows smoke billowing into the sky. It's unclear what caused the explosion and if any injuries.
Car explodes at border checkpoint in Niagara Falls, on the New York-Canada border. Cause unclear. FBI investigating pic.twitter.com/I8IBSm4uEx
— BNO News (@BNONews) November 22, 2023
An explosion has been reported at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls at the Canada-U.S. Border. pic.twitter.com/nDePTXiPnM
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) November 22, 2023
BREAKING: Photo after reports of incident involving vehicle coming into the US on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, NY Gov. Hochul says being briefed on incident. All 4 international border crossings between the US-Canada in Western New York closed https://t.co/v3rws2450M pic.twitter.com/B2rFfYfRo9
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 22, 2023
A car exploded this morning at the Ontario / New York border near Niagara Falls, aka Rainbow Bridge pic.twitter.com/4e4R4vdYbl
— 🌈 Tess T. Eccles-Brown, PhD (@TTEcclesBrown) November 22, 2023
The Rainbow Bridge is closed after there was an incident (looks like a fire or explosion) this morning involving a vehicle coming into the U.S. causing significant damage.
— Kyle.Taylor (@livingbyyyz) November 22, 2023
Also looks like they have closed the bridges. #niagarafalls #rainbowbridge #usa
📸newsnow pic.twitter.com/o3IVFBHPwj
The FBI field office in Buffalo has released a statement about the incident:
#FBI Buffalo statement on investigation at the Rainbow Bridge: pic.twitter.com/jRaGLL8sU8
— FBI Buffalo (@FBIBuffalo) November 22, 2023
In a post on X, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, "I've been briefed on the incident on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and we are closely monitoring the situation. State agencies are on site and ready to assist."
I’ve been briefed on the incident on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and we are closely monitoring the situation. State agencies are on site and ready to assist.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) November 22, 2023
According to the Peace Bridge Authority, all border crossings from Canada along the Niagara River have been closed after the incident. Besides Rainbow Bridge, Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, and Whirpool Bridge are currently shut down in both directions.
Expect heavy traffic delays across the Niagara area.
US/CANADA border closures in Niagara/Fort Erie. Stay tuned for updates ^ks pic.twitter.com/LKUm3DlmwD
— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) November 22, 2023
*Developing...