Times Square briefly locked down by New York police amid bomb scare

NEW YORK, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A suspicious package found near the New York Police Department (NYPD) Times Square facility on Monday morning prompted a temporary closure of one of New York City's busiest pedestrian crossings.

Police said the package was spotted around West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue at around 10:30 a.m. local time (1430 GMT), directly above the Times Square subway hub that connects the Port Authority terminal.

The NYPD Bomb Squad was dispatched. Officers closed streets and froze pedestrian zones for nearly two hours while the package was examined.

By 11:53 a.m., NYPD officials said the item was "non-hazardous," and streets were reopened shortly after.

The incident is still under investigation.