The Latest: Police say tower climber wanted to meet Trump

NEW YORK – The Latest on a man who tried to scale the front of Trump Tower in New York City using suction cups (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Police say a man who climbed partway up the facade of Trump Tower in New York City had posted a video online saying he did it because he wanted “a private audience” with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

In the video, the unidentified 20-year-old Virginia man says he’s “an independent researcher” who wants to “discuss an important matter” with Trump.

The climber was pulled into an open window on the 58-story building’s 21st floor Wednesday evening three hours into the stunt. Police say he was taken to a hospital to be psychologically evaluated.

The tower is headquarters to Trump’s presidential campaign and his business empire. Trump also lives there but wasn’t inside at the time.

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6:45 p.m.

Police have removed a man from the facade of the 58-story Trump Tower in New York City.

Special operations officers could be seen grabbing the unidentified climber into an opened window on the building’s 21st floor Wednesday evening.

After he was hauled into the window onlookers gathered on the streets below the Fifth Avenue tower cheered.

Police say he’s now in custody.

Witnesses say the man started climbing Donald Trump’s namesake skyscraper at about 4 p.m. He was wearing a backpack and used suction cups, ropes and a harness to slowly climb the building from an outdoor terrace just a few floors up.

The tower is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign and his business empire. He also lives there.

Trump was not in the building.

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5:15 p.m.

A man is scaling the all-glass facade of Trump Tower in New York City using suction cups.

The climber has a backpack and appears to be using ropes and a harness to fasten himself to the side of the 58-story Manhattan skyscraper. He was several stories up and still climbing Wednesday evening.

Police officers smashed windows and broke through a ventilation duct in an attempt to block his progress. Officers are lowering themselves toward him using a window washer’s platform.

The tower is headquarters to Donald Trump’s Republican presidential campaign and his business empire. Trump also lives there.

A Trump campaign spokeswoman hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

Terraces and other parts of the building are open to the public during the day.