Arrested for bomb threat at Liberty Hotel Boston on Wednesday – NBC Boston

A man was arrested at the Liberty Hotel in Boston on Wednesday night after claiming to have a bomb in his bag, police said.

The woman reported the man, Mark DiPaolo, after he responded to her question about his dog by saying, “I have a bomb in my suitcase,” Boston police said Thursday. The 62-year-old from Naples, Florida, was charged with criminal threatening.

The incident began on Wednesday evening at around 8:11 p.m. and triggered a major emergency response. The hotel, a former prison, is located next to Massachusetts General Hospital.

The woman recalled to investigators that DiPaolo was at the hotel bar with the dog when she tried to strike up a casual conversation with him about the animal, police said. She asked if the dog was trained in anything and he allegedly replied, “I have a bomb in my suitcase,” at which point the woman reported the threat to staff.

When officers arrived, they were led to the room where DiPaolo had just checked into and arrested him. Police cleared the room and determined there was nothing dangerous inside.

It was not immediately clear whether DiPaolo had an attorney who could comment on his arrest.