On the night of October 31, two college students, Logan David Patterson, 18, and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 20, allegedly carried out an explosion at Harvard Medical School’s Goldenson Building, a facility housing neuroscience research labs, using a large commercial firework. The FBI states that the suspects, who were visiting the Wentworth Institute of Technology campus for Halloween events, were seen in surveillance footage walking toward the HMS campus at approximately 2:33 a.m., wearing face coverings and dark clothing. The video allegedly shows them igniting Roman candle-style fireworks before proceeding to the construction area around the Goldenson Building. Moments later, the fire alarm sounded after an explosion inside a fourth-floor research lab at HMS’s Department of Neurobiology, which investigators determined was caused by a large commercial firework detonating inside a wooden locker.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks emphasized that the suspects’ actions could have led to serious injuries, noting that the explosive device had the potential to cause significant harm. However, due to the rapid response by first responders, no lives were lost, and no one was injured. The explosion resulted in limited property damage. Both Patterson and Cardoza were arrested on Tuesday morning and appeared in federal court in Boston the same day, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 24. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the two men visiting the fifth floor before exiting the building and fleeing in opposite directions. Shortly after, Cardoza was seen sitting on a bench, removing his pants and throwing them in a garbage bin, while Patterson was seen back on the Wentworth campus around 3:09 a.m., running between buildings and charging his phone. The trio of suspects was later seen walking toward the Massachusetts College of Art and Design campus at approximately 3:40 a.m., with Patterson removing his sweatshirt and sweatpants while Cardoza was still wearing a dark hooded jacket and black sneakers.
The FBI’s affidavit also references the suspects’ public Instagram accounts, which were linked prior to the incident. The filing states that both men maintain identical profile photographs, showing them with three other young males, and their social media accounts include a small number of public posts featuring high school graduation scenes, sports, and social gatherings. The suspects were charged with conspiracy to damage property owned or used by an institution receiving federal funding. Witness reports identified the two men as Patterson and Cardoza, confirming their attendance at Halloween events at Wentworth Institute of Technology. The federal complaint, which is available for review, provides detailed insights into the investigation and surveillance efforts, highlighting the significance of social media in tracing the suspects’ activities.