RI on alert following NY, NJ attacks

By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com

SCITUATE, R.I. – Officials in Rhode Island have remained on alert since Saturday’s bombings in New York and New Jersey.

"It has the earmarks of a terror attack," explained U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member of the Armed Services Committee.

Currently, there is no credible threat to Rhode Island, and authorities are working to make sure it stays that way.

State Police have been dialed in through the Fusion Center, using cyber-intelligence to investigate terrorist activity and sharing information with authorities nationwide. "We’re not reactive, we’re proactive," explained Capt. John Alfred, the commander of RI State Police’s Fusion Center. "So we’re constantly taking a look to see what needs to change and when the environment changes, we adjust and make the adjustments here as well."

That means deploying more troopers when deemed necessary, like at the crowded CVS Health race in Providence Sunday.

Reed is monitoring the situation through his role as ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. "We have to double our vigilance, double our efforts, and work hard everyday to prevent these attacks from taking place," he told ABC6 News.

Meanwhile, officials are investigating what led to the attacks and whether the suspect acted as a lone wolf. "Trying to figure out what was the motive, what was the rationale, why was this done," explained Special Agent Harold Shaw with the FBI in Boston.

(c) WLNE-TV 2016