Teen Arrested in Starbucks Blast Inspired by "Fight Club"
Recent high school grad charged with bombing
Updated 8:09 AM EST, Thu, Jul 16, 2009
A teen arrested in the bombing of an upper East Side Starbucks was inspired to plant the explosive device by the movie "Fight Club," cops said today.
Kyle Shaw, 17, of Chelsea, was charged with arson, criminal mischief and criminal possession of a weapon for placing the bomb at the E. 92nd St. coffee shop, police said.
Shaw was inspired to plant the bomb at the Manhattan eatery by watching the anarchic behavior of Brad Pitt in the film "Fight Club." He picked the site because a Starbucks was a target in the movie, police said.
Shaw formed his own fight club in which boys beat one another in various locales around the city including Central Park, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
At least one member got a broken nose, he said.
Shaw apparently told at least one friend to "watch the news over Memorial Day'' because he was about to launch his own version of "project mayhem,'' Kelly said. Investigators are looking into whether more people might have been involved.
The homemade device exploded at 3:30 a.m. on May 25 and no one was hurt in the attack. The bomb was made out of water bottle and powder used to make fireworks.
Video at the scene showed two teens carrying a plastic container with what cops believed to be explosives.
The blast occurred around the same time in the morning as an explosion at the British consulate in May 2005 another at the Mexican consulate in October 2007. A third blast from an unknown bomber was also set off at the Times Square military recruiting station in March 2008.
First Published: Jul 15, 2009 11:12 AM EST
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