A man was arrested at Boston's Liberty Hotel after claiming to have a bomb in his bag on Wednesday night, police said.
The woman reported the man, Mark DiPaolo, after he replied 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 Wednesday night about 8:11 p.m., and brought a major response from first responders. The hotel, a former jailhouse, is next to Massachusetts General Hospital.
The woman recalled to investigators that DiPaolo was at the hotel bar with this dog when she tried to start a casual conversation with him about the animal, according to police. She asked if the dog was trained in anything and he allegedly replied, "I have a bomb in my suitcase," prompting the woman to report the threat to staff.
When officers arrived, they were directed to the room where DiPaolo had just checked in and arrested him. Police cleared the room and found there was nothing dangerous.
It wasn't immediately clear if DiPaolo had an attorney who could speak to his arrest.
