Emergency crews have apprehended a man who climbed Trump Tower in Midtown Wednesday afternoon.
The man was climbing on the 56th Street side of the tower using suction cups.
Crews removed windows from the tower before they ultimately pulled the man off the side of the building.
VIDEO: Man climbing Trump Tower appears to communicate with someone in building. More: https://t.co/jzovLYsab9 pic.twitter.com/lBydLUWeDT
— NY1 News (@NY1) August 10, 2016
According to the NYPD, the climber was a 20-year-old from Virginia who said he wanted a personal meeting with Donald Trump.
Police say he posted a video explanation on Youtube a day earlier. In it, he requests a private meeting with the Republican presidential nominee and says he scaled the building to get his attention.
The NYPD says he did not express a desire to hurt anyone during his climb.
Police say emergency crews removed glass from the tower and inflated air bags around the perimeter in case he fell.
A tweet by NYPD Special Ops showed officers deploying a cushion on the ground.
#HappeningNow #BreakingNews #NYPD #ESU is on scene @ 725 5th Avenue #trumptower for a male climbing the building pic.twitter.com/BRuU5CiOzT
— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) August 10, 2016
"The first contact was on the fifth floor above the atrium. We were able to establish a, break a vent window and establish some type of dialogue. We then secured three jumper airbags and numerous amount of equipment for a high-angle rescue job," said Vincent Giordano of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit. "Tried to isolate and contain him to a point where we, we'd give us a tactical advantage to take him into custody."
The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there.
Parts of the building, including the terraces, are open to the public during the day.
Trump was not there at the time of the incident, but he did post a message to Twitter praising the NYPD.
Great job today by the NYPD in protecting the people and saving the climber.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 11, 2016