Asia-Pacific
Police defuse car bomb in NY's Times Sq.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-02 15:43
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 A NYPD officer in an bomb suit examines a Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle parked in New York's Times Square May 1, 2010. An apparent failed car bomb that was smoking and emitted a "flash" in a sport utility vehicle sparked an evacuation of New York's Times Square on Saturday night as authorities worked to dismantle the device during Broadway's peak period. [Photo/Agencies] |
'MEMORIES OF 9/11'
Don Slovin, watching the police through the window of a souvenir shop a block from the SUV, said, "Of course it conjures up memories of 9/11."
The SUV was parked very close to a production of the show "The Lion King" on 45th Street. Women in evening gowns were among the crowd on one of the warmest nights of the year and the busiest night of the week for Broadway theaters.
"It's New York. If you're from New York you just get used to it," said Creswell Rudolph, 37, a bank security guard stationed a block from the SUV. "It could have been a lot worse."
"With this, it's just lucky they found it in time. Thank God for that," he said.
Vehicle and pedestrian traffic was very heavy on streets outside the evacuation zone, including Sixth and Eighth Avenues. All intersections in the area were blocked by police and fire department vehicles, lights flashing.
Police allowed some people to enter theaters to view Broadway shows in the vicinity but later blocked other theatergoers from entering. Some hotel guests were allowed back to their rooms. Some Broadway shows were allowed to go on.
Police shut down Times Square from 43rd street to 48th street between Sixth and Eight avenues.
Tourists in the area expressed annoyance and amusement. Nam Vu, 24, said he had arrived by bus in New York at 8 a.m. from Canada and was prevented from meeting a friend at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square.
"I feel like I'm on a TV show," he said. "Where is (actor) Denzel Washington?"
