The NYPD has shut down Carl Schurz Park and closed parts of the Upper East Side after a suspicious device was reported in the area Tuesday afternoon. East End Avenue between East 85th and East 87th Streets, and East 86th Street between York Avenue and East End Avenue, are closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic while Bomb Squad units and other emergency personnel respond. Police are urging neighbors to avoid the area as investigators conduct sweeps and interviews.
ADVISORY: Due to a suspicious device, East End Avenue between East 85th and East 87th Street, as well as East 86th Street between York Avenue and East End Avenue are closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Additionally, Carl Schurz Park is closed at this time.
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 10, 2026
As reported by FOX 5 NY, officers set up a perimeter around the park and blocked the two East End Avenue blocks while the Bomb Squad investigates a suspicious object discovered near the riverfront. The outlet reports that park entrances are not accessible and that further details were not yet available when it published its update. Neighbors near the promenade described a heavy police, fire and EMS presence.
What officials have said
City officials have linked the current sweep to last weekend's demonstrations outside Gracie Mansion, when police say two devices were ignited during a protest and counterprotest. As outlined by the Mayor's Office, the NYPD's preliminary analysis found those earlier devices "were improvised explosive devices that could have caused serious injury or death." The transcript also notes that a third device recovered nearby later tested negative for explosive material.
Background: the Gracie Mansion incident
Police say the current disruptions trace back to a March 7 demonstration in which an 18-year-old allegedly lit and threw an ignited device near East End Avenue and East 87th Street, and a second device was later deployed. Two men were taken into custody. Federal prosecutors and the FBI have since joined the probe, and investigators have described the case as terrorism-related, according to CBS News. Mystery Smoke Scare was Hoodline's earlier dispatch on the initial smoke-related disruption at Gracie Mansion.
What neighbors and commuters should expect
The NYPD advisory on X asks people to avoid the immediate area while investigators work and reminds residents to call 911 for emergencies and 311 for non-emergencies, per the department's post. Expect traffic delays, closed park entrances and a substantial law-enforcement presence until the Bomb Squad completes its checks. Commuters who usually rely on the East End Avenue corridor should plan alternate routes.
Legal fallout
Federal complaints unsealed this week allege the two suspects were inspired by extremist ideology and face charges including attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction, court papers show and local reporting confirms, per NY1. City leaders have praised officers' quick response and said earlier sweeps allowed residents to return to their homes once scenes were secured.
Officials had not released additional details when this article was posted, and investigators said they would provide updates as the sweep concludes. We will continue monitoring official channels and local reporting for further information.
