A 26-year-old man was indicted for allegedly causing chaos in Times Square by placing what appeared to be a pipe bomb near the NYPD substation. As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.'s office reported, Desean Maryat is facing serious charges in connection with the August incident.
The NYPD Bomb Squad was dispatched to assess the threat, resulting in a temporary closure of Times Square. "As alleged, Desean Maryat placed an imitation pipe bomb that forced police to clear the Crossroads of the World for more than an hour," District Attorney Bragg stated in a press release. Despite the disruption, it was later determined that the suspicious device posed no real danger to the public.
According to court documents, at around 10:20 a.m. on August 18, Maryat is alleged to have carefully placed the phony device directly in front of the doors of the NYPD substation, strategically creating a barrier through which no officer could pass without risking an explosive confrontation. The incident not only halted traffic from West 42nd Street to West 44th Street but also paralyzed pedestrian flow along Broadway and Seventh Avenue. The indictment charges Maryat with Placing a False Bomb or Hazardous Substance in the First Degree and Making a Threat of Mass Harm.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant D.A. Kirstyn Watson, under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Nicole Blumberg and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo. District Attorney Bragg also acknowledged the NYPD, noting the role of the Counterterrorism Bureau’s Bomb Squad in disarming the device and restoring normal operations in Times Square.
