Federal authorities have arrested two Massachusetts men accused of deliberately setting off an explosion at Harvard Medical School earlier this month.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts identified the suspects as Logan D. Patterson, 18, of Bourne, and Dominick F. Cardoza, 20, of Plymouth. According to officials, the pair allegedly used a “large commercial firework” to cause an explosion inside the Goldenson Building around 2:25 a.m. local time on Nov. 4.
Video footage released by the Harvard University Police Department reportedly shows two masked individuals inside the building. Additional footage captured Patterson and Cardoza climbing a chain-link fence into a nearby construction area before reaching the roof via scaffolding, investigators said.
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Both men are charged with one count of conspiracy to damage property by means of fire or explosives.
Federal Response and Investigation
In a post shared Tuesday morning, the FBI’s Boston Division confirmed the arrests, carried out with assistance from its Joint Terrorism Task Force and Harvard University Police.
Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks condemned the act, calling it “selfish, short-sighted, and a federal crime.” He added that the arrests should serve as a warning: “If you allegedly use an explosive to maliciously damage someone else’s property, you should not be surprised when the FBI and our partners show up at your door.”
Witnesses described the explosion as startlingly loud. One person told ABC News, “I couldn’t believe how loud it was,” while another said, “That would be terrible if somebody got hurt. I can’t even imagine.”
Campus security reportedly attempted to pursue the suspects immediately after the blast.
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Evidence and Charges
Authorities said the men were later identified after allegedly bragging to friends about what they had done. According to ABC News, Docks stated, “These two men allegedly boasted about what they did to their friends.”
Both suspects had been on campus for Halloween parties on Oct. 31, according to The Harvard Crimson.
Investigators from the Boston Fire Department’s Arson Unit determined the explosion was intentional, though no explosives were recovered at the scene.
Patterson and Cardoza appeared in federal court in Boston on Tuesday afternoon. Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 24, per Fox News.
If convicted, each faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
