A New York City man was arrested and taken into police custody Sunday after sneaking past security and climbing a cable beam on the Brooklyn Bridge, where the 24-year-old snapped photos with his phone, the New York City Police Department said. It is the second security breach at the bridge in less than a month.
The man, identified as Yaroslav Kolchin, faces charges including criminal trespass and reckless endangerment for the afternoon stunt, MyFoxNewYork.com reported.
After Kolchin was spotted walking past a security gate at the tower on the bridge's Brooklyn side, which stands about 276 feet (84 meters) above water, aviation and harbor units responded to the scene, with officers apprehending Kolchin when he descended, the Washington Times reported.
A helicopter then hovered level with the man, who did not cause any damage during the incident, New York Daily News reported. "He took some photos at the top and made his own way down," law enforcement sources said. "We took him into custody as he got back to the security gate."
With nobody injured, the motive behind the man's climb was not clear as of Sunday afternoon, Reuters reported. Charges remain pending.
On July 22, two German artists climbed the bridge's two 276-foot towers at night and swapped out two American flags with custom-made white flags, the international sign of surrender. After being discovered by construction workers, the high-profile stunt sent shockwaves through police ranks and highlighted the vulnerable security of the iconic bridge.
It remains unclear if the two artists will be charged.
