Va. teen's lower leg amputated after Central Park blast, family says
NEW YORK CITY - A Virginia teen who accidentally stepped on a likely homemade firework in Central Park had to have his lower leg amputated, according to his grandparents.
Terence Golden, the grandfather of 18-year-old Connor Golden, told CBS affiliate WUSA on Sunday that he'd spoken to the boy's father after the accident, and that not only was the lower leg amputated, but he may need even more surgeries.
"It's going to take him a while to recover from this," Terence said.
Tourist John Murphy, visiting the city from Connecticut, said he came across the teen and stayed with him after the explosion until emergency responders arrived and placed a tourniquet on his leg.
"His left leg was severely damaged, all bone and muscle," said Murphy.
The homemade gadget was likely an "explosive experiment" that was probably designed to "make a large noise, maybe make a flash," concocted by someone with a basic understanding of chemistry, said Lt. Mark Torre, commanding officer of the New York Police Department's bomb squad.
Police said Sunday evening there is no evidence the incident was related to terrorism.
Golden was walking in the park with two friends when he stepped on a rock covering the explosive.
Investigators don't believe G0lden or his friends are responsible for creating the explosive and officials asked that anyone with information about it contact the police.
"We've seen a lot of experimentation with homemade fireworks," Torre said, adding the Central Park explosive may have been designed to go off at an earlier time, even a day before, but for whatever reason did not.
The 11 a.m. blast on the east side of Central Park could be heard for blocks, leaving some with the belief that it was part of a July Fourth celebration.
