Police have blocked off parts of Times Square and evacuated people because of a suspicious cooler left in Times Square.
[Updated at 6:06 p.m.] Read the full CNN.com story
[Updated at 2:32 p.m.] Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York acknowledged after that incident that terrorists have targeted New York.
"We have to take every precaution, as you know, because we remain a prime target for terrorists," he said. "That's something all New Yorkers understand and it's something that we need Washington to understand as well."
"We will continue to doing everything we possibly can to protect New Yorkers from terrorist attacks. We have, as you know, built the most comprehensive and sophisticated counter terrorism operation of any local police force in the world."
[Updated at 2:24 p.m.] An all-clear was declared Friday after authorities investigated a suspicious package left in front of a hotel in Times Square and determined that it contained water bottles, police said.
[Updated at 2:10 p.m.] The New York Police Department has deployed a robot to X-ray the cooler that was abandoned in front of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square, police told CNN's Susan Candiotti.
[Updated at 2:15 p.m.] A bomb squad robot has completed its X-ray of the suspicious cooler left in Times Square, CNN's Susan Candiotti reported. But, the results were inconclusive.
Members of the bomb squad are now suiting up to get a closer look.
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[Updated at 2:01 p.m.] CNN's Ali Velshi who is on 47th Street and Broadway reports: "Times Square is entirely empty" on certain blocks.
[Updated at 1:58 p.m.] Kathy Duffy, who is in her office at the Marriott Marquis hotel, told CNN the Times Square Alliance said there was an abandoned cooler left outside. Duffy said officials told her that the bomb squad was trying to determine if it was a threat. She said that the hotel has not been told to evacuate.
[Updated at 1:51 p.m.] A spokesman for the Times Square Alliance says, according to the NYPD, the following streets are closed:
[Updated at 1:45 p.m.] The suspicious package that prompted evacuations in New York's Times Square is a white cooler that was left near the front of the Marriott Marquis Hotel, police told CNN.
The area is not far from where Faisal Shahzad left his SUV that had explosives in it.
People were evacuated from the streets of Times Square after a report of a suspicious package.
[Posted at 1:24 p.m.] Times Square has been evacuated after a suspicious package was found near 45th street, a New York Police Department official said.
The package was found near 45th Street and Broadway, officials said.
The evacuation comes six days after an SUV with explosives was left in Times Square resulting in the arrest of Faisal Shahzad.
This story is developing. We'll bring you the latest information as we get it.
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To all of you who have posted the comments "paranoia", "relax", etc–clearly, you do not live in NY.
In the future, you should really consider refraining from making arrogant and ignorant comments such as those, as you have no possible way of understanding what it means to be safe instead of sorry in one of the largest cities in the world.
Anybody notice that most of the commercials any more make the white people look like the stupid ones.
you have a much higher chance of getting hit by lightening twice in the same year than getting hurt in a terrorist attack. the government uses fear to control you.
this has been admitted many times–even the first homeland security chief tom ridge admitted that the bush white house was doing this to influence voters!
google: operation gladio - the CIA and MI6 bombing campaigns throughout europe...
google false flag terrorism
google gulf of tonkin - the "fake" event that brought us into the vietnam war
wake up america. the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.
Where is Robert Downey Jr. when you need him?
I agree: better safe than sorry. Probably someone just forgot to put a cooler in a cab. But what if it is something. Stay vigilant, New York!
If it smells like fish.......eat it!
Paranoia, really. Had someone brushed off that abanded vehicle last week as paronoia a lot of innocent people would have died. While I don't beleive in living in fear and letting every little thing stir me up there is such thing as being aware of what is going on around you. The reality of living or even visiting New York is that there is a constant threat of terrorist attacks.
I must admit that at times I overlook certain things I encounter around the city because well its New York and some pepple can just be a bit odd here, however I feel people are too indifferent about situatuions where one should be alert and act on instict. If there is something going on why do people stop to speculate! Just keep it moving and let the investigation continue because you never know how serious the threat is until its usually too late. Also speaking up when something seems odd is always the right thing to do, Don't get so wrapped up in your life that you don't have time to realize whats going on right under your nose and then not say anything when you think something may be going on.
How quickly some of you have forgotten 9/11!! We cannot afford to become complacent because once we do – they (the terroists – whether from abroad or living right next door to any of you) will strike again!! Ever heard the saying "An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure"?? Be grateful you have government officials being extremely cautious – for your sake!!
Muslims doing what muslims do best.
Ridiculous. What is this stuff? Why can't America and other countries just live and let live. Lives are valuable. If others don't feel that way, then it's their duty to change themselves, not innocent people. It's probably just a hoax anyways, another copy cat.
derka derka, muhammad jihad
It's not paranoia if people really are out there to kill you. 9-11 and last weekend's bombing attempt are proof of that.
In other news, " Drunken Homeless man missing white cooler"
I think it's just someone selling water that left his cooler while they try to sell the water off
@EG "phony tough"? – get real dingbat