Bomb Squad Called In Over Backpack During Central Park Race
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - There was a brief security scare Sunday amid the beefed up police presence citywide since Monday's fatal Boston Marathon bombings.
Police later gave the all-clear after a man with a backpack riding a bicycle through the Run for the Parks 4-miler caused the bomb squad to be called in.
Bicycles and backpacks were banned from the race.
As 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported, police stopped the man. Inside his backpack, officers found a box with a toggle switch. Inside was a bottle with wires and a timing device.
All Clear Given After Bomb Squad Called In During Central Park Race
The bomb squad was called in to check out the suspicious package, police said.
"The bomb squad determined it wasn't an explosive device and the person carrying it said it was used in timing kayak races," NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne told D'Auria.
Runners were diverted as the bomb squad checked out the package. The man was not arrested.
Police officers on foot, on scooters and with bomb-sniffing dogs were out in large numbers and on high alert Sunday as two foot races were held.
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