'Fight Club' Inspired Starbucks Bombing

MYFOXNY.COM - Police arrested a teenager for the bombing of an Upper East Side Starbucks in May. Sources tell MyFoxNY.com that his name is Kyle Shaw of West 27th Street.

Cops busted Shaw, 17, Tuesday night on charges of arson, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal mischief, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Shaw was mimicking Brad Pitt's character from the movie "Fight Club," according to the NYPD. The Tyler Durden character plotted to bomb symbols of corporate America. Starbucks was a target in the movie.

Detectives found homemade bomb-making materials, a copy of "Fight Club," a box of sparklers and a newspaper clipping about the attack in Shaw's home, according to police.

Shaw created his own fight club, inspired by the movie, in which boys beat one another in various locales around the city including Central Park, Kelly said. At least one member got a broken nose, he said.

The blast shattered windows and destroyed a bench outside of the 3rd Avenue store.

The 3:30 a.m. blast on May 25 was caused by a device made out of plastic and explosive powder. There were no injuries.

Speaking at the scene that day, Kelly told reporters there was no call to police before the explosion. Seven calls to 911 came in immediately following the explosion.

There is a history of low-order explosions outside Starbucks stores across the country, said Kelly.

The city has experienced other early morning explosions in recent years. Small explosions occurred at the British consulate in May 2005 and Mexican consulate in October 2007. A small blast occurred at the military recruiting station in Times Square in March 2008.

Before each of the explosions, a bicylcist was seen in the area.

Police investigators say no one was inside the shop at the time of the explosion. There was no damage inside the store.

An apartment building above Starbucks was evacuated. Seven people were forced from their homes and returned hours later.