‘Suspicious package’ spotted in NYC park near Gracie Mansion

Update: NYPD clears park of ‘suspicious package’ near Gracie Mansion

The NYPD responded to a suspicious device found near Gracie Mansion, just days after two men ignited a homemade explosive in what law enforcement described as an “ISIS-inspired terrorism” incident in Manhattan.

Officers escorted people out of Carl Schurz Park around lunchtime after reports surfaced about a “suspicious package” near Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence on Tuesday. A passerby had spotted the object in the park next to the Promenade.

The bomb squad first sprayed the item with water to ensure it was not incendiary before moving in to secure and clear the device. Police later determined that the object was not hazardous, though authorities will conduct additional testing.

Police began clearing out around 3 p.m.

The Upper East Side neighborhood where the mayor lives turned into a crime scene after two men from Pennsylvania attended two protests on Saturday and attempted to deploy explosive devices.

Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, and Emir Balat, 18, now face federal charges related to the incident, including unlawfully possessing and using a “weapon of mass destruction,” transporting explosives, and attempting to aid a “designated foreign terrorist organization.”