New York man made explosive devices and stored them on Manhattan rooftops, prosecutors say
Michael Gann, 55, of Inwood, New York, is accused of manufacturing at least seven improvised explosive devices, also known as IEDs, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors alleged that Gann assembled the IEDS with precursor chemicals used to create explosive mixtures that he had ordered online.
After building the IEDs, prosecutors said Gann stored at least five IEDs and shotgun shells on the rooftops of residential apartment buildings in SoHo, a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan. Gann also allegedly threw a sixth IED onto the subway tracks on the Williamsburg Bridge, which connects the Lower East Side of Manhattan with the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
Gann was arrested on June 5 in the area near the rooftops in SoHo, where police recovered a seventh IED that he had been carrying with him, according to an indictment. Following his arrest, prosecutors said Gann lied to law enforcement officers about having disposed of his precursor chemicals and the shotgun shells in a dumpster in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.
"The safety of New Yorkers is paramount," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement. "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."
Gann is charged with one count of attempted destruction of property by means of explosives, one count of transportation of explosive materials, and one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
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New York man accused of stockpiling homemade explosives
According to the indictment, Gann ordered about two pounds of potassium perchlorate along with more than 200 cardboard tubes, over 50 feet of fuses, and other supplies on May 30. He then placed a separate order for about one pound of aluminum powder.
Both potassium perchlorate and aluminum powder are precursor chemicals that can be used to make an explosive mixture when combined, the indictment states.
Gann later received his orders on June 4 in Long Island, where he then mixed the precursor chemicals before setting them on fire to cause an explosion, according to the indictment. He subsequently transported mixed and unmixed precursor chemicals and his other supplies from Long Island to Manhattan and assembled at least seven IEDs, the indictment alleges.
Prosecutors said Gann stored his supplies and at least five of the IEDs on the rooftops in SoHo, noting that he was captured on surveillance cameras carrying some of the IEDs on the rooftops. One of the IEDs seen on surveillance footage contained about 30 grams of explosive powder, which prosecutors said is about 600 times the legal limit for consumer fireworks.
Gann also stashed at least four shotgun shells on the same rooftops, which prosecutors alleged that he intended to use with the IEDs.
"This defendant allegedly stockpiled homemade explosives and traveled to New York City with these deadly devices," New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. "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."
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Before making the IEDs, prosecutors said Gann had posted a message on X on March 27 and tagged the official POTUS account, controlled by the Trump administration.
According to the indictment, the message stated: "Dear @POTUS, I'm thinking just now here in NYC that it's too bad that the wall wasn't built before the National Guard would have to come here for the Protests and Riotation or would you just drop a bomb on this place while and because they seem to be coming and coming?"
Gann also conducted searches online related to bomb-making and firearms between May and June 2025, the indictment states. Some of the searches allegedly included questions about background checks for firearm purchases, supplies for making bombs, and using 3D printers for homemade guns, according to the indictment.
And just hours before Gann was arrested on June 5, prosecutors said he posted on Instagram — another social media platform — saying: 'Who wants me to go out to play like no tomorrow?'
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