Story by Ethan
On September 19th, 2025, the arrest of Desean Maryat, age 26, was announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin J. Bragg Jr.. Desean Maryat was charged with first-degree Placing a False Bomb or Hazardous Substance and Making a Threat of Mass Harm. The arrest and charges against Desean Maryat were a result of an investigation handled by the Counterterrorism Bureau’s Bomb Squad.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, at approximately 10:20 a.m. on August 18th, 2025, Desean Maryat allegedly dropped off an unknown cylindrical package, taped and designed to imitate a pipe bomb, at the NYPD Times Square Substation. The object was propped up against the door to block off the front entrance of the building, and anyone inside of the building was unable to exit in fear of potentially triggering an explosion. The NYPD’s Bomb Squad responded to the station in addition to shutting down the area of 42nd West Street to 44th West Street and near Broadway and 7th Avenue to prevent pedestrian and vehicular activity near the compromised station. After the NYPD’s Bomb Squad determined the object to be inoperable and a non-threat, the area was secured and Desean Maryat was arrested approximately four hours afterwards when he returned to the Times Square substation.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Desean Maryat are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
