The man who scaled the side of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Wednesday in an hours-long standoff with police has been charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass, authorities said today.
The man, from Great Falls, Virginia, was identified as 19-year-old Michael Joseph Ryan, but he recently changed his name to Stephen Rogata and had new identification made up, according to the NYPD.
Police Capture Man Climbing Trump Tower After Hours-Long StandoffHe is undergoing a psychological evaluation at Bellevue Hospital, police said.
The climber, using a contraption made up of five suction cups, scaled the 68-story building for over two hours before responding officers yanked him inside around 6:35 p.m. after knocking out a full window pane on the 21st floor.
He was removed from Trump Tower on a stretcher.
The man started climbing at the 5th floor atrium, which is accessible to the public. It was not immediately clear why he climbed the building, but a police source said he was carrying leaflets indicating the climb was about self-promotion.
Hours after the incident, Trump thanked the NYPD for saving the climber.