Man climbs out of grate, throws smoke bomb at NYC restaurant

NEW YORK - Authorities say a man climbed out of a New York City sidewalk grate and hurled a smoke bomb into a restaurant Friday, before climbing back underground and vanishing, reports CBS New York.

The incident happened around 5:45 p.m. Friday at Bar Pitti in the city's Greenwich Village neighborhood, police told the station.

The suspect, wearing an American flag t-shirt, emerged from the grate that leads up from the subway system and threw the device, authorities say. They say it emitted red smoke.

The restaurant's manager said an employee grabbed the smoking device and tossed it back outside, at which point the suspect ducked back underground and disappeared.

The NYPD Bomb Squad responded to the scene. No one was injured, police said.

At least one restaurant-goer complained on Twitter that the smoke stung her eyes, but others said it was not noxious, reports the station.

Hours after the incident, restaurant customers filled the sidewalk café once more, under the watchful eye of a lone police officer. Some of them joked about what might have been behind the bizarre incident.

"It's New York. We have troglodytes," said Manhattan resident Hal Hayes. "They live down in the tunnels. They come out when they need some air."

"Is your lovely little restaurant on somebody's hit list?" said Manhattan resident Cleve Harp.

The motive behind the attack is unclear but police said it was not related to terrorism.