Man held over hoax bomb near Boston race finish

The man arrested near the Boston Marathon finish line carrying a backpack containing a rice cooker on the anniversary of the bombings has been sent to a state psychiatric facility for an evaluation.

Kevin “Kayvon” Edson had a court appearance 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 was sent to Bridgewater State Hospital and held on $100,000 bail. His lawyer did not comment outside of court. Edson, 25, has bipolar disorder, his mother, Joie Edson, said.

Edson was stopped late on Tuesday after passers-by told an officer they saw him yelling, walking barefoot down the middle of a street, veiled in black, in pouring rain. The backpack was destroyed.

Former mayor Thomas Menino addressed an invitation-only audience of about 2,500 people at the Hynes Convention Centre, not far from the finish line where more than 260 were killed or wounded a year ago.

When officers approached Edson they removed the veil and a hat and saw that the man’s face was painted blue and yellow, investigators said. The man said he had a rice cooker in the backpack, which was later destroyed. Police determined that the bag’s contents were not explosive.

A second suspicious backpack also was found. Officers determined it had been left behind by a media outlet and was not dangerous, but it too was destroyed.

The backpacks rattled nerves days ahead of this year’s marathon. Police kept people away from the finish line area for about three hours on Tuesday and trains bypassed the nearby Copley Square station.

Joie Edson declined further comment on her son.