Someone tossed three canisters in the area around city hall in New Haven on Friday morning, which led to evacuations and shutting down city streets, officials said, and one person has been taken into custody.
Officials said a city employee reported suspicious activity around 7:15 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. in the area of 200 Orange St., outside City Hall.
According to police, a caller said he saw a man tossing what appeared to be pipes in the area, before losing sight of him as the man walked through the alley in between there and the Federal Court House.
Once in the area, police said they found several pipe-shaped objects, which appeared to be hidden behind benches and in bushes. In total, three objects were found.
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Streets were shut down and city hall and 200 Orange St. were evacuated as a precaution and police investigated.
Police used a robot to x-ray the devices and conducted a procedure to render the most concerning one safe and determined the other two were safe to handle, police said.
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Surveillance images and witness interviews led police to a suspect and they took him into custody.
NHPD is on scene with several suspicious devices in the area of 200 Orange Street. Please avoid the area. For responding media, please stage on the north side of Elm Street by Orange Street.
— New Haven Police Department (@NHPDnews) August 30, 2024
He is facing charges including breach of peace, criminal trespass and criminal mischief. He was held on a $500,000 bond.
