Overview

• The NYPD detected a suspicious package around 11 a.m. at the heart of Times Square and ordered an immediate evacuation
• Officers cordoned off several blocks around West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue and urged pedestrians and commuters to avoid the area
• Bomb squad technicians are conducting a detailed on-site examination to confirm whether the package contains explosives
• Local businesses lowered their shutters and subway lines serving Times Square experienced service delays and interruptions
• Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as hundreds of tourists and workers fled the cordoned zone within minutes