Police storm Trump Tower after an ‘emotionally disturbed man’ tried to get on the roof
One man was arrested after reports of a disorderly person inside Trump Tower
A 30-year-old man has been arrested after police swarmed Trump Tower on Monday following reports of a disorderly person in the building owned by President Donald Trump.
The unnamed man was reported to police after being spotted on an “elevated surface” inside the building, authorities said.
The NYPD responded to the call at around 4:30 p.m., sending a team to the skyscraper where Trump has a penthouse. The tower also features high-end private residences, restaurants, shops, and a public viewing platform open to tourists.
The man was described as being “emotionally disturbed,” according to an NYPD source who was speaking to the New York Daily News.
“It was nothing political... He was clearly off his meds,” the anti-terrorism cop said.
Press videos from the scene show security officials evacuating people from the atrium and police officers later exiting the building. The officers were wearing helmets and safety harnesses of the kind used by emergency responders who specialize in rescuing people from high places.
According to the Daily News report, the man was running around the fifth floor while yelling about wanting access to the roof. Trump Tower is 58 stories high.
The NYPD’s emergency service unit took the person into custody without further incident, police said. It isn not immediately clear what charges the person might face and the incident remains under investigation, police said.
Trump Tower was constructed in 1983 after Mr Trump purchased the site just a few years prior. Until his presidency it was the de facto headquarters of the businessman, being the primary filming location of hit TV show The Apprentice.
In 2015, it also became the headquarters of his presidential campaign team, remaining there until his victory the following year.
It is located in midtown Manhattan, one of New York’s most affluent districts.
Over the years, the tower has been the scene of protests, bomb scares and the occasional stunt. In 2016, a person tried to scale the building and was able to reach the 21st floor before he was apprehended by police.
Last month, protesters demanding the release of Mahmoud Khalil, whom the Trump administration aims to deport over his pro-Palestinian activism, held a sit in inside of the building. In total, 98 people were arrested.