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Bronx Man Arrested After Hoax Device Triggers Times Square Evacuation

Police say the item was a hoax device that prompted a brief closure.

Police respond to a suspicious package in Times Square, which was deemed to be non-hazardous, on Monday, August 18, 2025. (Barry Williams / New York Daily News)
Police evacuated an NYPD substation and shut parts of Times Square after finding a suspicious device
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Overview

  • A 26-year-old Bronx resident, identified by police as Desean Maryat, was taken into custody and charged with placing a false bomb, reckless endangerment, making terrorist threats, making a threat of mass harm, and disorderly conduct.
  • Officers responded to a 911 call around 10:32 a.m. Monday about a suspicious object outside the NYPD substation at West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue, prompting evacuations and street closures.
  • The NYPD bomb squad examined the cylindrical object and determined it was non-hazardous, describing it as a hoax device made of cardboard, paper, and tape.
  • Authorities sealed off Seventh Avenue between 42nd and 43rd streets during the response, and most subway service continued with a limited cordon inside the station.
  • The scene was cleared near noon with no injuries reported, and officials said normal activity has resumed in Times Square.