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An hours-long standoff with a suspect who threw a hoax bomb into a NYPD police van late Wednesday ended with the man being taken away on a stretcher, The New York Daily News reports.

The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Hector Meneses, barricaded himself in a gold Chrysler Aspen SUV near New York City’s Columbus Circle, the news outlet writes. Police surrounded the vehicle for hours, telling NYC residents to avoid the heavily trafficked area.

Hours before, Meneses tossed a ticking device into a police van parked in Times Square before fleeing the scene. Sgt. Hameed Armani and Officer Peter Cybulski, who were inside the vehicle, drove out of the famously crowded area to get the device away from the public before taking cover a few blocks away.

Police checked the device, which appeared to be a fake bomb, The News reports:

After shutting down several blocks of Midtown, police checked the device and found it was a fake – made of a red candle and a battery-operated lantern, wrapped in tin foil and a piece of white clothing. 

The motive in the bizarre incident is unclear. Police continue to investigate.

SOURCE: NY Daily News | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

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