Long Island Police Debunk Explosive Reports Before Trump Rally

Law enforcement officials on Long Island quickly countered false social media claims about explosives near former President Donald Trump's rally in New York. Authorities identified the source of the rumor as a civilian, not affiliated with the event, who was reportedly training a bomb detection dog.

Long Island law enforcement officials swiftly quashed false social media reports suggesting explosives were found near former President Donald Trump's New York rally on Wednesday. The incident occurred just hours before the Republican presidential nominee's campaign event at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder confirmed that a civilian, who was allegedly training a bomb detection dog, reported the false explosives claim. The individual was not affiliated with any law enforcement agency nor linked to the event. Lt. Scott Skrynecki added that the rapid spread of the false claim was exacerbated by prominent social media accounts, including that of Elon Musk.

County officials acted decisively to clarify the misinformation. "False," Skrynecki texted the AP. Christopher Boyle, spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, dismissed the reports, calling them "No. Ridiculous. Zero validity." Trump's rally marks his first appearance on Long Island since 2017.

(With inputs from agencies.)