Early on Sunday morning, the New York governor's office received a concerning message from law enforcement officials: Someone had made a threat online to detonate a bomb in Times Square.
It was deemed that the threat was not credible. But soon after receiving the news, Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a statement calling for more police presence in Times Square and an investigation into the online post. "The bomb threat made against Times Square is a despicable and cowardly act meant to instill fear and panic in our community, and New Yorkers will not tolerate these scare tactics," Cuomo's statement read, adding that "there is no indication that this threat is credible."
The unusually public response to a threat police deemed not credible underscores officials' sensitivity to the security of New York City landmarks and Cuomo's eagerness to appear proactive in addressing them.
The New York Police Department put more officers in the area, although they would not specify how many. The iconic area has been the target of terrorist plots at least twice in the past decade, both of which were foiled.
New York Times
