(The following story by Zach Lowe appeared on the Stamford Advocate website on October 31.)
STAMFORD, Conn. — An Amtrak train bound for New York City was stopped and searched for an hour in Stamford yesterday after a passenger said he had “a device” that threatened the safety of the other passengers, police said.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police ordered all passengers off the train and searched every bag with the aid of a K-9 unit, MTA police Sgt. John Mullen said.
Connecticut State Police also took a K-9 unit to the scene to assist, Mullen said.
Police found no evidence of an explosive, and the train continued to Penn Station in midtown Manhattan at about 4:15 p.m., Mullen said.
MTA police detained the person who made the threat, Mullen said. As of last night, MTA police had not released any information about the suspect.
Officers took a statement from a witness who heard the suspect make the threat, Mullen said.
According to the witness, the suspect said he had a “device” and that the train was “not going to make it to New York.”
Passengers waited on the platform and talked on cellular phones as police walked through the train and searched bags.
“At this time of year, we don’t leave anything to chance,” Mullen said.
The incident came two days after an Amtrak Acela train derailed in New Haven. Police reported no injuries in the derailment.
On Monday night, a 22-year-old Rhode Island man committed suicide at the Stamford train station by throwing himself in front of a train.