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| The suspect, Kevin Edson, has bipolar disorder |
BOSTON (KABC) -- A man who authorities allege was acting strangely and carried a backpack containing a rice cooker near the Boston Marathon finish line was identified and appeared in court on Wednesday.
Kevin "Kayvon" Edson, 25, was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges of possessing a hoax explosive device, threatening battery, threats to commit a crime, disturbing a public assembly and disorderly conduct, according to the Suffolk district attorney's office. Bail was set at $100,000 and a judge ordered that Edson be evaluated at a state psychiatric hospital.
According to a police report read aloud in court Wednesday, Edson 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."
His mother said he suffers from bipolar disorder, and his lawyer, public defender Shannon Lopez, said he was diagnosed with mental illness at 19. A doctor said Edson showed signs of being off his medication recently, Lopez said.
Police officers approached the man late Tuesday after noticing suspicious behavior, such as walking barefoot down the middle of the street in pouring rain and veiled in black, police Superintendent Randall Halstead said.
"As he got closer, I could hear him yelling 'Boston strong. Boston strong,'" witness Alicia Anskis said. "Something just felt really off."
Officers found a rice cooker in the backpack and told Edson to drop the bag. He was then arrested. Last year's deadly bombings that killed three people and injured more than 260 others were carried out via pressure cookers.
A bomb squad was called in and the area evacuated, before police blew up the backpack. Turns out, only confetti was inside.
Police blew up a second suspicious bag on Tuesday night. It was later determined the bag belonged to a media outlet and was not a danger.
The two incidents occurred after various ceremonies during the day honoring victims and first responders of the Boston Marathon bombings last year.
Despite the scare, marathon organizers said next Monday's race will be safe.
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You know me: I'm so scared about this story, so worried how it will affect people's view of the mentally ill. I do, however, find great, great comfort from the following statement issued by Kevin's mother after his arrest:
"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. My daughter and I have run the Boston Marathon six times for charitable organizations. It’s a glorious event that embraces the spirit of friendly competition and good will. Crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon is a feeling of accomplishment that can not be described.
Our son Kevin has been battling mental issues for several years. His illness has caused himself and our family years of anguish that is unimaginable. His multiple mental health issues, including the diagnosis of BiPolar Disorder, are a constant battle realized by multiple hospitalizations and close psychiatric treatment. Kevin is currently a college student and has not been living at home for several months. Unfortunately his mental health has deteriorated recently.
This is a tumultuous and trying time for our family. My husband is battling stage four head and neck cancer and is hoping to gain positive results from an upcoming Clinical Trial at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. We are trying to remain strong, hopeful and positive. We ask that you please respect our privacy at this time.
Boston is certainly, in many ways, a strong city. The first responders, the runners, the sports teams, the medical community and the citizens are all Boston Strong. What is NOT strong is the mental health system in Boston, our state, our country, and the world. I have two sons who struggle with mental illness and I have had to constantly fight for twelve years to get them the help they need. Advocating for assistance from mental health providers for my sons has been a full-time job.
We wish the runners of the Boston Marathon on Patriots Day a wonderful and celebratory day. Run Strong and enjoy your wonderful feeling as you cross that finish line."
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Yes, Kevin's family understands, has experienced the broken mental health system in the U.S. and what happens when a loved one has a mental illness and possibly stops taking their medication. I'm so, so happy no one was hurt during this event. I hope Kevin is not jailed, rather stabilized and given treatment. Fingers crossed. His family is suffering so much. I pray for them.
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