May 7th, 2010
06:06 PM ET

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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[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.

soundoff (1,087 Responses)
  1. CAP

    I feel bad for the people of New York! So much to go through!

    May 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm | Report abuse |
  2. RGP

    I work a couple blockas away, was just outside and didn't notice a thing besides the usual luch crowd on a nice day.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Scott

    To all ye naysayers trivializing the threat....

    (forget it, you aren't worth the effort)

    May 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Dr. D

    The intention of terrorism is to breed paranoia. What can we do but respond each time and try to protect innocent life?

    May 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm | Report abuse |
  5. T

    really paranoia...cmon have to be safe....stupid people brushing it off

    May 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Ariel

    with these recent bomb scares, i'm begining to think these aren't isolated occurances. there is probably some sort of operation, hopefully this will get straightned out. i'm getting scared.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:43 pm | Report abuse |
  7. suki

    I hope sbarro's pizza doesnt leave time square. i love that place.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Will

    Didn't we have another panic just last night because somebody's U-Haul started leaking gas?

    The terrorists have won. You're all freaking out over what is probably nothing.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Chris

    I was just there, eating lunch at one of the outdoor tables. It's probably nothing, but once we realized it wasn't just a film shoot or something, figured it was time to head back to the office. Rumors in the crowd were that it was a lunch bag, but that's just rumors in the crowd...

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  10. trlong36

    "immediate death penalty should be imposed for all terrorists and anyone related to it they are jeopardizing the lives of innocent people"

    No. This is exactly what the terrorists want us to do.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Oh Boy!

    Let's Have A Parade!!

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  12. jeffrey

    I would hope that this situation is clearly not the type fo incident happened last week ago by the car bomb incident. Secondly, i would imagine how scarely on what would it comes into terms if the package is being touched and deonated...

    hopefully i would also wished that the revelant authorities should consider deploying armed patrols in the streets to safeguard the situation itself...

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Daze

    This kind of hysteria is exactly what will drive more of these incidents. Look at the disruption. Unnecessary.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:44 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Ali

    Maybe its a distraction for something else to take place.
    I watch too much 24

    May 7, 2010 at 1:45 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Ronnie

    The terrorists are winning. The key to terrorism is the word terror. When they have us living in fear, altering our daily lives, they've won. I for one am not going to live in fear, but it seems too many others are.

    May 7, 2010 at 1:45 pm | Report abuse |
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