BOSTON - The man arrested near the Boston Marathon finish line Tuesday, who officials said was carrying a backpack containing a rice cooker, was sent to a state psychiatric facility for an evaluation Wednesday after an initial court appearance.
Kevin Edson, 25, was sent to Bridgewater State Hospital and ordered held in lieu of a $100,000 bond at an appearance in Boston Municipal Court on charges of threatening battery, possession of a hoax explosive device, threats to commit a crime, disturbing the peace, disturbing a public assembly and disorderly conduct. He’s due back in court May 7.
Edson was arrested Tuesday hours after ceremonies to mark last year’s Boston Marathon bombings, in which two pressure-cooker bombs hidden in backpacks exploded, killing three people near the finish line and injuring more than 260 others.
Edson, with addresses in Boston and Wakefield, was stopped after passers-by told an officer they saw him yelling, walking barefoot down the middle of a street, veiled in black, in pouring rain. His face was painted yellow and blue, the traditional colors of the marathon, police said. The street was open to pedestrians at the time, and police said his presence was not a security breach.
Police kept people away from the finish line area for about three hours Tuesday, and trains bypassed the nearby Copley Square station.
Edson’s backpack was destroyed, and police determined that its contents were not explosive.
According to a police report read aloud in court, after Edson was read his rights, he told an officer: “I knew what I was doing; it was conceived in my head. It’s symbolism, come on. The performance got the best of me.”
In a statement, his family said, “Our family is so sorry and emotionally overwhelmed by the events at the finish line of the Boston Marathon yesterday. To have this happen on the one-year anniversary of such a horrific crime is unfathomable.”
Edson’s mother, Joie Edson, said her son has battled bipolar disorder for many years and his mental state has recently deteriorated.
A second suspicious backpack also was found Tuesday. Officers determined it had been left behind by a media outlet and was not dangerous, but it too was destroyed.
“With the marathon coming, our officers are taking it seriously,” police Superintendent Randall Halstead said. “The safety of the public is utmost.”
Police also stepped up patrols Wednesday, while organizers sought to assure the city and runners of a safe race next week.
Security plans include thousands of uniformed police, hundreds of plainclothes officers and about 100 strategically positioned video cameras that will monitor the crowds. Police also strongly discourage spectators from taking along backpacks.
“I believe this will be the safest place on the planet on April 21,” said Dave McGillivray, the longtime race director for the Boston Athletic Association.
The finish line will not be closed to the public until the morning of the race, Police Commissioner William Evans said, but police planned to increase visibility in the area over the next several days.
“This year, we can all understand that someone is going to feel anxious, nervous, to stand next to someone with a backpack,” said Kurt Schwartz, Massachusetts’ undersecretary of public safety. “Why do that this year?”
Spectators were advised to tell a police officer or call 911 if they see anything they consider suspicious along the route.
Evans said undercover officers with special training will be working the crowds looking for suspicious packages or anyone “who might be up to no good.” He also said police plan to limit the size of the crowds on Boylston Street, and if they appear to be getting too large, people will be asked to move to other locations to view the race. But he added that police do not want to create undue anxiety, either.
“We are not going to scare people and make it look like it’s an armed camp,” he said.
Information for this article was contributed by Bob Salsberg, Philip Marcelo and Denise Lavoie of The Associated Press.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 04/17/2014