LaGuardia Evacuated After Man Makes (Fake) Bomb Threat, UPDATED

Earlier this morning around 5:30 a.m., the main terminal at LaGuardia Airport was evacuated because of a bomb threat. Apparently a man claimed he had a bomb—he was taken into custody and his bag search—but the device was deemed harmless. However the terminal's C concourse will remained closed for hours, because it's a crime scene. Updated below: A 32-year-old New Yorker was arrested.

The NY Post reports, "Hundreds of confused passengers were forced off planes and rushed out of the airport just after 5:30 a.m. when the erratic man approached security in the C Concourse and said he had explosives in his bag." The Port Authority's spokesman John Kelly said that the man "was just acting crazy," while some say he was intoxicated. All that was found in his bag were "few batteries and wires."

One man who was waiting to fly to Milwaukee with his family told the Daily News, “All we know is that they told us to get out of the airport. Someone told me to exit the terminal and run. Then I saw all the fire and police trucks coming, and we’ve been told all our flights will be delayed.” The air traffic control tower was also evacuated. The C concourse serves United, United Express and American Eagle airlines.

Update, 3:10 p.m.: The suspect has been identified as 32-year-old New York resident Scott McGann, who was flying United to Oakland, with connections in Chicago and Denver. Apparently a ticket agent notified TSA agents because he seemed intoxicated was acting "spaced out." From the Daily News:

Authorities at the security check noticed McGann was acting strange and saw wires and a fuse sticking out of his bag. A Port Authority cop grabbed the bag from McGann and tackled him.

Officials cleared the central terminal and an NYPD bomb squad entered to test the bag - which turned out to be a bunch of batteries taped together to look like dynamite with wires sticking out. McGann was arrested and will be arraigned later Saturday in Queens Supreme Court.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said it was a "hoax device" and "Clearly, it appeared he wanted people to think" he had a bomb. While most of the terminal has reopened, there are still delays at LaGuardia.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on August 1, 2009 3:15 PM

Comments [rss]

Dwayne Hoover

Great security plan. Have someone walk in with a fake bomb and hundreds of people run outside to the entirely unsecured parking and pickup areas. I guess our brilliant MTA/NYPD/PA haven't noticed what usually happens next....

carlyt

Traveling has become a nightmare. There is a related at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588

NannyState

"While most of the terminal has reopened, there are still delays at LaGuardia."

So all is well, everything is back to normal.

DollinNYC

Win!

ides_of_march

Moral of the story; you don't even need a bomb to fuck up an airport.

Spirit of 76

Welcome to the Era of Fear, courtesy of your hero, GW Bush. "Be afraid. Be very afraid. And only Republicans can keep you safe."

ides_of_march

You're such a partisan hack. I never even mentioned one party or the other.

EastRiver

Isn't this really about the procedures airport security was following? I really don't see how the "culture of fear" factors in. It isn't like the public spotted the "bomb" and freaked out. If you don't like the security procedures maybe you should be asking why they haven't been changed.

johnieBK

I bet if this was a real bomb that actually exploded you'd still blame GW Bush. You're a tool.

Spirit of 76

We're all tools. The difference is you're one of the dullest tools in the shed, judging by your comment history.

hotstepper

fibber.

Awesomer

He had some wires and batteries, did he? I bet he started "just acting crazy" when the TSA people thought his bag of laptop peripherals was a bomb.

Anybody remember that MIT-student bomb scare at Logan that turned out to be a necklace?

yincrash

having a bomb near this http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/08/01/nyregion/01airport_650.jpg

where all the people evacuated to, seems way more dangerous than it exploding in the terminal. actually. it also seems dangerous even if there was an explosion in the terminal.

Jen S

Lesson learned: fly out of JFK.

Rfive

"Exit the terminal & run"? I hope that LaGuardia has a better evacuation plan than that.

[mis]inheritance

Your right. I do hope LaGuardia has a better plan than that next time.

Come to think of it, though, what better plan is there, when you have so many contained in a small area?

The best thing security can do is to make sure that actual bombs don't make it into the terminal, and its just loonies 'claiming' to have a bomb.

Kojak

Hell that works for me. Its not like the fire drill at your local Elementary school where everyone exits in an orderly fashion.

Get me the fuck outta here!