New Jersey Man Charged for Planting Device That Led to Parade Cancellation
A 56-year-old New Jersey man, Christopher Otis, has been charged with false public alarm, possession of a destructive device, and providing false information to a police officer. Otis allegedly placed a suspicious device near the staging area of a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Keansburg, New Jersey, which led to the event's cancellation. The device, described as having the power of an M-80 or cherry bomb, was not capable of remote detonation and posed no real threat to the public. The incident prompted a joint investigation by the FBI, Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, and Keansburg Police Department. Otis is currently held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending further court proceedings.