Photo Courtesy of NYPD
The suspicious suitcase turned out to be empty.
By Michael V. Cusenza
An annual day of revelry and levity quickly pivoted to a sobering scene complete with explosive ordnance technicians and City Police Department brass after an abandoned bag with the message “Bomb is inside here mother f*****” scrawled on it was discovered on Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, on Cross Bay Boulevard near 157th Avenue in Howard Beach, according to NYPD officials.
“The gray suitcase had writing on it…with black wires protruding out of it,” Capt. Michael Edmonds, executive officer of the 106th Precinct, told The Forum. “We had to shut traffic down and evacuated a two block radius. My Bomb Squad came and the suitcase was empty. We have a picture of the guy dropping the suitcase and my squad is investigating.”
While the mysterious bag, its ominous warning, and law enforcement’s response certainly sent anxiety levels skyrocketing, no injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.