The New York Police Department responded to a bomb scare in New York City after a suspicious package was found on a bench at Madison Square Park in the Flatiron District, near the intersection of 5th Avenue and 23rd Street.
Suspicious package near Madison Square Park, park, streets around it blocked off.
Police instructed nearby offices to keep everyone inside their buildings. BuzzFeed employees were among them, as our office is immediately across the street.
The NYPD is strapping equipment onto someone in front of our building and we have been instructed not to exit
A suspicious package that appeared to the naked eye to be a blue duffel bag was approached by an officer wearing protective armor.
Blurry mysterious package that brought the bomb squad to Madison Square Park.
And he's heading back.
Bomb squad investigating a suspicious bag on a bench in Madison Square Park
Police gave an all clear approximately 15 minutes after telling everyone to stay in place.
And it's over.
Update: Bomb squad acting pretty chill outside the park
And the lesson is?
Don't leave your backpack in the park, people