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All-clear given in Times Square scare
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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iReport.com: See photos from Times Square
[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:
- East bound on 46th Street from 8th Ave
- West bound on 45th Street from 6th Ave.
- And the Broadway and 7th Avenue plaza between 44th and 47th.
- 44th and 47th Streets themselves are not 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.
Oh no.... here we go again!!
Anderson Cooper and his t-shirts on on their way to cover the story. No one milks the personal side of a story like AC!
talk about over reacting...geez its a cooler
If they didn't take this seriously, you'd be dead. Period.
sounds to me that our society lives in fear, and other see this and laugh behind our backs.
this is series of testing.
I pray it turns out to be an absent minded person who was taking soft drinks somewhere and forgot they set it down.
This country is becoming like Israel. We will just have to get used to this.
Paranoia or not be prepared. I'm on 46th and madison, I have my purse on my shoulder and sneakers on as I type.
Probably some tourist from a flyover state freaking out over a hobo's luggage that they've spotted.
I'm concerned that in showing a play by play of how our emergency responders react to situations like this, we are providing a play book for terrorists to review. I think providing arial photographs and live video is going to work against us in the end.
You've let the terrorists win NY. You have been terrified and terrorized.
This is the third closing in a week. You'd rather be dead?
How many people are dying around you? 911 was almost 10 years ago and no one has died since. Go back to work and stop freaking out about everything. The life of living afraid isn't a life to live.
The US has to fight fire with fire.....They need to start cutting the heads off these home grown terroist....make an example that we will not put up with this !@#$. Also get rid of the ACLU....Terrorist don't have rights and don't need lawyers, People that come to OUR country should follow our rules....we shouldn't change our country just to make them feel at home. Bash away!!!!!
Terrorism is destroying our most simple freedom-walking down a city street! So sad
If we stopped for every package/box/bag etc.left on a street we would never leave our homes. Whether this is a "package" or not we can't let these things get to us. Something has to be done to make it easiert to live here.
What do you bet there is a case of beer in that cooler?