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Police convince ‘agitated’ man to put down box he claimed contained a bomb; incident ends peacefully

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Jun 10, 2021

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS The remains of the box that police intentionally blew up Wednesday lie on the edge of a parking lot on Cypress Street. A suspect who allegedly claimed there was a bomb in the box was arrested. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

MANCHESTER – Around 10 a.m. Wednesday, just about two hours after he was scheduled for a court hearing on a May robbery charge, and roughly two weeks before a plea and sentencing hearing was to take place in his November 2020 criminal mischief and criminal threatening case, Ernesto Mateo was in the process of being arrested for allegedly carrying around a box and claiming it contained a bomb.

Mateo, 31, of Manchester, was “agitated and yelling” when police located him outside of the Cypress Center, a short-term psychiatric care facility affiliated with the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester.

The center, at 401 Cypress St., is between Auburn and Massabesic streets and is adjacent to the campus of Elliot Hospital.

Mateo, whose numerous criminal cases include a November 2018 arrest, along with two other people, in connection with what was initially reported as a home invasion in the 400 block of Union Street, was taken into custody Wednesday without incident.

A police spokeswoman said officers who responded to the scene “used de-escalation techniques to calm (Mateo) down, and were able to get him to move away from the box” that he allegedly claimed contained a bomb.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS The remains of the box that police intentionally blew up Wednesday lie on the edge of a parking lot on Cypress Street. A suspect who allegedly claimed there was a bomb in the box was arrested. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

Mateo is charged with one count each of placement of simulated explosives, a felony, and resisting arrest or detention, a misdemeanor, police said.

He was booked on the charges and later transported to Valley Street jail, where he was held on preventive detention.

While the officers were speaking with Mateo to try and convince him to move away from the box, the Cypress Center and four nearby residences were evacuated as a precaution, police said.

Members of the state police bomb squad were summoned to the scene, and once Mateo was in custody, bomb technicians intentionally exploded the device to render it harmless.

As for Mateo’s other ongoing cases, the review hearing in his May 29 robbery arrest, initially set for Wednesday, was moved to Thursday. Whether it will take place as scheduled is unknown.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Numerous police vehicles surround the area of 401 Cypress St. Wednesday morning as officers negotiated with an agitated man who allegedly claimed the box he was carrying contained a bomb. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

Also unknown is whether this new arrest will affect the date of his plea and sentencing hearing on the felony threatening with a dealy weapon and criminal mischief charges, which is currently set for June 24 in Hillsborough County Superior Court North.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Police officers and detectives make their way to the area in front of 401 Cypress St. Wednesday morning, where an agitated man was carrying a box he allegedly claimed contained a bomb. He surrendered without incident. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Manchester police detectives collect evidence in areas adjacent to the Cypress Center following the arrest of a suspect who allegedly claimed he had a bomb in a box he was carrying. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS Police officers and detectives make their way to the area in front of 401 Cypress St. Wednesday morning, where an agitated man was carrying a box he allegedly claimed contained a bomb. He surrendered without incident. (Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS)

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