Connor Golden: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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Connor Golden, 18, of Fairfax, Virginia, is taken to an ambulance after he was injured in an explosion at Central Park. (Getty)

A Virginia teen lost part of his leg in an explosion that rocked Central Park during the Fourth of July holiday, police say.

The blast was possibly caused by homemade fireworks or explosives that was part of an “experiment” by a hobbyist, Deputy Chief Mark Torre, the commander of the NYPD’s bomb squad, said at a press conference. Terrorism is not suspected, Torre said.

Connor Golden, 18, of Fairfax, has been identified as the victim, sources told the New York Post.

He was at the iconic New York City park with two friends when the explosion occurred just before 11 a.m.

“The friends were just in shock,” witness John Murphy told the Post. “He was severely injured. His left leg was severely damaged, all bone and muscle.”

Police said the victim and his friends are not suspected of planting the item that caused the explosion. Police are still investigating in an attempt to determine who left the device in the park. Dogs were searching the area Sunday afternoon to make sure there were no other explosives in the park.

Here’s what you need to know:

Warning: This post contains graphic images of the victim’s injuries.


1. His Friends Say They Climbing Rocks & Weren’t Using Fireworks Before the Explosion

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Connor Golden is treated at the scene of the explosion. (Getty)

Connor Golden’s friends say they did not have fireworks with them and were climbing rocks when the explosion occurred, WABC-TV reports. Golden stepped on something and a loud bang was then heard.

John Murphy, a witness, told the New York Post he asked Golden’s friends if they had fireworks.

“I said, ‘Come on, guys, were you carrying fireworks?’ And they said no. And I believed them,” Murphy told the Post, adding that he didn’t think it was caused by a normal firecracker. “That was no normal firework. This wasn’t an M80 or a cherry bomb. Some something much more serious. I saw a divot that reminded me of impact craters.”

The blast was heard for several blocks.

“We were climbing down the rocks, Connor was 6 feet behind me and all of sudden I felt the explosion on my back,” one of his friends, Thomas Hinds, told WABC. “The explosion sounded like a gunshot next to my ears. I turned around and saw his foot which wasn’t completely blown off but was severely mutilated. My other friend Matthew was behind Connor and all he saw was massive amount of dirt go flying up in the air.”

Hinds said they were questioned by police.

“This was definitely not a firecracker,” Hinds said. The police were understandably going at us hard asking about firecrackers because the idea that there would be some sort of bomb in Central Park is really scary.”


2. The NYPD’s Bomb Squad Was Brought in to Investigate the Blast, Which Happened Near Elie Wiesel’s Funeral, as a Precaution

Eyewitnesses talk with a police officer after an explosion at Central Park in New York on July 3, 2016. (Getty)

Eyewitnesses talk with a police officer after an explosion at Central Park in New York on July 3, 2016. (Getty)

The NYPD closed down a large section of Central Park, but the entire area was not evacuated, officials said. The bomb squad was brought in as a precaution and a bomb-sniffing dog could be seen near where the explosion occurred.

The explosion occurred near the funeral for Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel, who died Saturday at the age of 87. The NYPD said the incident is not believed to be connected to the funeral.

New York Times reporter Sarah Maslin Nir tweeted, “Outside Eli Wiesel’s funeral I heard a huge explosion just now. Running into Central Park and found a young man with his left leg blown off.”


3. He Was Taken to Bellevue Hospital With Serious Injuries to His Leg, But Was Conscious & Alert Throughout the Ordeal

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Connor Golden is treated at the scene of the explosion. (Getty)

Golden was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with serious injuries to his legs, ABC News reports.

Witnesses and the FDNY said Golden was conscious and alert the entire time at the scene as he was treated and then taken to an ambulance.

Photos from the scene show his heavily bandaged and bloodied left leg, which was shredded near the ankle and foot.

“He was an absolute trouper,” witness John Murphy told the New York Post. “I couldn’t believe it. We just stayed with him, tried to keep him calm until EMS showed up. He was in shock. I don’t think he even realized what had happened.”

“It just demolished his foot. His foot was mutilated,” Golden’s friend, Thomas Hinds, told the New York Daily News. “His foot was gone and he handled it pretty well. He’s a tough guy…All he said was ‘get help.'”

The victim is undergoing surgery Sunday afternoon, but was in stable condition, authorities said.


4. He Came to New York City With His Friends for the Fourth of July Holiday

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Connor Golden. (Facebook)

Golden was in New York City with two friends from Virginia, Thomas Hinds and Matthew Stabile, according to the New York Post.

Hinds posted on Facebook on July 1, “All y’all New York types better prepare thyselves.”

One of his friends told the Post, “He’s our friend. We really don’t know what happened,”


5. He Is Studying Music Engineering at the University of Miami

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Connor Golden. (Facebook)

Connor Golden, who lives in Fairfax, Virginia, is originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, in the Washington, D.C. area, according to his Facebook page.

He has been studying music engineering at the University of Miami since 2015.

His Facebook includes links to music he has created, including a recent song called “Vessels” he made with two fellow Miami students.