Explosion Near Times Square; NYPD Has Suspect in Custody

A suspect has been taken into custody after an explosion at the New York City subway at 42nd St and 8th Avenue, the heavily trafficked stop that serves Times Square and the Port Authority bus terminal, the NYPD said.

The male suspect is the only one injured in the blast, police say, adding to avoid the area. Subways are currently bypassing the stop.

The explosion was reported around 7:30 a.m., and the A, C and E lines were evacuated.

Also Read: Ellen DeGeneres Evacuates as California Wildfires Spread Through Santa Barbara County

A law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the suspect had a pipe bomb strapped to his body when it detonated. His injuries are not life-threatening.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that President Trump has been briefed on the situation. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo were also briefed.

“When we hear of an attack in the subways, it’s incredibly unsettling,” de Blasio told reporters, per the Washington Post. “And let’s also be clear, this was an attempted terrorist attack. Thank God the perpetrator did not achieve his ultimate goals.”

Cuomo described the bomb as “an effectively low-tech device.”

New York Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton said on MSNBC that the suspect is possibly from Bangladesh and in his mid-20s. He said the suspect “was supposedly setting the device off in the name of ISIS,” according to preliminary information from police sources.

“So, definitely a terrorist attack. Definitely intended,” Bratton said. “As to whether the device malfunctioned or didn’t function correctly, that will have to be determined.”

New Yorkers can expect increase police activity at all transportation hubs in the city, effective immediately. The Port Authority Bus Station is one of the busiest in the world, and the largest in the United States.

More to come…

The Scene at TheGrill 2017: TheWrap's Media Leadership Conference

Co-Chairmen and CEO's of Fox Television Group Gary Newman and Dana Walden, and John Singleton.
Getty Images
TheWrap's annual TheGrill media conference took place at the Montage Beverly Hills on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3.
Getty Images
TheWrap's CEO and editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman greets attendees at the 8th annual TheGrill conference.
Getty Images
Audience members listen to panels on the first day of TheGrill.
Getty Images
Sky Moore, partner at Greenberg Glusker, Cindy Lin, CEO of Infotainment China, and President of DMG Entertainment, Chris Fenton at TheWrap's annual TheGrill conference.
Getty Images
David Grinberg, partner at Sidley Austin LLP, speaks onstage at TheWrap's 8th Annual TheGrill.
Getty Images
Stanley Rosen, professor of political science at USC, speaks with Sharon Waxman on stage.
Getty Images
Catherine Zhang of Youku Tudou and Colin Brady of CAA discuss streaming in China with TheWrap's Matt Pressberg.
Ted Soqui
Vicki Beck and Jan Pinkava speak with Sharon Waxman on stage.
Ted Soqui
The Montage in Beverly Hills.
Getty Images
Attendees gather around the lunch buffet at TheGrill on Monday.
Getty Images
Stanley Rosen, Matt Pressberg and Cindy Lin at TheGrill.
Getty Images
Ted Schilowitz of Paramount Pictures speaks at TheGrill.
Getty Images
Attendees gather at The Montage for TheWrap's annual TheGrill conference.
Getty Images
Sharon Waxman with Albie Hecht.
Getty Images
Sharon Waxman with speakers at TheGrill.
Getty Images
Kathleen Grace and Robert Goldberg speak on a panel during TheGrill.
Getty Images
Audience members of TheGrill conference converse during a break.
Ted Soqui
Virtual Reality panel at TheGrill.
Ted Soqui
Managing director and media and technology analyst at BTIG Rich Greenfield discusses the future of media with Sharon Waxman.
Ted Soqui
Gary Newman and Dana Walden speak with Sharon Waxman on stage.
Ted Soqui
Michael Bloom, Robert Goldberg, Kathleen Grace, Alec Shankman and Chris M. Williams speak about multimedia platforms at TheGrill.
Getty Images
ILMxLAB's Vicki Beck and Google Spotlight Stories' Jan Pinkava talk about VR at TheGrill.
Getty Images
Director John Singleton before his panel at the end of TheGrill's first day.
Getty Images
Audience members talk during a break at TheGrill.
Getty Images
Director of International Content Cooperation of Youku Tudou Inc., Catherine Zhang, attends TheGrill.
Getty Images
Founding Partner of MacInnes Scott, John MacInnes, attends TheWrap's media conference on Monday.
Getty Images
UCLA's Elizabeth Joye Buda and Kate Pierce attend TheWrap's TheGrill.
Getty Images
The audience watches a panel at TheWrap's media and technology conference, TheGrill.
Getty Images
TheWrap's film reporter Matt Pressberg on a panel with Co-Founder and EVP of WEVR, Anthony Batt, Founding Partner of MacInnes Scott, John MacInnes and Paramount Pictures' Ted Schilowitz.
Getty Images
TheWrap's Tim Molloy speaks with "Boyz N The Hood" director John Singleton
Getty Images
Cocktail party on the terrace of The Montage in Beverly Hills
Getty Images
Sharon Waxman and TheWrap team
Getty Images
Invar CEO Elizabeth Koshi, John Singleton, and ICM's Crystal Mais at TheGrill
Getty Images
Raymond Reed and Sabrina Taylor
Getty Images
Attendees at TheGrill cocktail party.
Getty Images
Weather Channel's Dave Shull discusses climate change with Sharon Waxman.
Ted Soqui
Producers Nina Jacobson and Darren Throop with Sharon Waxman
Ted Soqui
Adi Sideman at TheGrill
Ted Soqui
Tobias Quesser at TheGrill
Ted Soqui
Franklin Leonard discusses diversity at TheGrill
Ted Soqui
M and A panel at TheGrill
Ted Soqui
Paramount distribution head Megan Colligan and Lionsgate Marketing SVP Thai Randolph
Ted Soqui
TheGrill's Innovators Panel
Ted Soqui
TheGrill's Innovators Panel
Ted Soqui
DreamWorks founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sharon Waxman
Ted Soqui
mitu President Beatriz Acevado
Ted Soqui
Ted Soqui