Gann faces federal charges of attempted destruction of property by means of explosives, transportation of explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices.
A federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday exposes the full extent of a man’s alleged plot to manufacture and deploy multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Manhattan. The Department of Justice announced that Michael Gann, 55, of Inwood, New York, has been charged with attempted destruction of property by means of explosives, transportation of explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices, following an investigation by the FBI, NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies.
According to the indictment, Gann ordered approximately two pounds of potassium perchlorate and one pound of aluminum powder, highly combustible precursor chemicals, online in May 2025, along with over 200 cardboard tubes and more than 50 feet of fuses. These materials were delivered to him in early June.
Gann mixed the chemicals, successfully causing an explosion during a test, and assembled at least seven IEDs using these components, the indictment stated. The devices contained approximately 30 grams of explosive powder each, which is about 600 times the legal limit for consumer fireworks. Some devices were also loaded with nails or other shrapnel to maximize harm. He allegedly stored at least five IEDs and over four shotgun shells on adjacent rooftops of residential apartment buildings in SoHo, Manhattan.
In early June, Gann threw one of these devices onto the subway tracks of the Williamsburg Bridge, an active train route. On June 5, law enforcement arrested Gann in SoHo, recovering a seventh IED on his person. Despite this, Gann claimed to investigators that he had discarded other explosives and shotgun shells in a dumpster, a claim disproven when the devices were found intact on the rooftops. None of the devices exploded.
The indictment further details Gann’s extensive internet searches related to explosives and firearms, including queries like “will I pass a background check,” “3D gun printing,” “chlorine bomb,” “how to make flash powder from household items,” and “what to mix with potassium perchlorate to make flash powder.”
Just hours before his arrest, Gann reportedly posted on Instagram: “Who wants me to go out to play like no tomorrow?” Gann faces federal charges of attempted destruction of property by means of explosives, transportation of explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices. The combined maximum potential sentence is 40 years.
US Attorney Jay Clayton praised the “swift work by our law enforcement partners” in preventing a tragedy, emphasizing the priority of New Yorkers’ safety. FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch also highlighted the coordinated efforts of their agencies to swiftly apprehend Gann before any harm occurred.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes personnel from over 50 federal, state, and local agencies, alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Nassau County Police, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The case is being prosecuted by the Southern District of New York’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit, with Assistant US Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky, Michael D. Lockard, Chelsea L. Scism, and Special Assistant US Attorney Julie Isaacson handling the matter.
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