A suspicious package discovered just blocks from the United Nations triggered an NYPD Bomb Squad response and street closures in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday, as President Trump and other world leaders attended the U.N. General Assembly.
The incident began when an unattended black suitcase was discovered near East 43rd Street and Third Avenue, close to the Chrysler Building and roughly two avenues from U.N. headquarters. According to NBC New York, an NYPD canine detected something inside the suitcase, prompting Emergency Service Unit officers and the Bomb Squad to respond.
Police quickly established a security perimeter, closing 42nd through 44th streets between Second and Lexington avenues. A building in the immediate area was also evacuated while investigators examined the object.
The timing naturally attracted attention.
President Trump had addressed the U.N. General Assembly earlier Tuesday and subsequently departed the United Nations complex by motorcade. Video published during the incident showed the presidential motorcade leaving as police investigated the package several blocks away. Available reporting has not established that President Trump’s departure was caused by the package or that the object was connected to him.
That distinction is important. A suspicious package near a presidential motorcade is enough to generate plenty of dramatic headlines, but authorities have not publicly identified evidence showing that President Trump was specifically targeted.
The scare occurred during an already extraordinary security operation surrounding the General Assembly.
Before the gathering began, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said thousands of uniformed officers would be deployed around U.N. headquarters, supported by K-9 units, the Bomb Squad, counterterrorism officers, aviation and harbor units and other specialized teams. The Secret Service was also coordinating with the NYPD to protect President Trump and other dignitaries. Officials said before the event that there were no known specific or credible threats against the gathering.
The immediate danger from Tuesday’s package was ultimately ruled out.
Police later announced that the package had been cleared and was not considered suspicious. Some street restrictions temporarily remained while authorities reopened the area. No injuries were reported.
Still unanswered publicly is exactly what was inside the suitcase and what initially caused the police canine to alert officers. The NYPD’s decision to summon its Bomb Squad and close multiple Midtown streets illustrates how seriously authorities treated the discovery before determining it posed no danger.
Given the concentration of presidents, prime ministers, diplomats and security personnel around the United Nations this week, an unattended suitcase was never going to receive the casual “somebody probably forgot it” treatment.
In Midtown during the U.N. General Assembly, caution comes first.
The good news is that this time, the suspicious package turned out to be safe.
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