US: NYPD slaps 60-year-old man with terrorism charge for carrying gun near UN headquarters

A 60-year-old man who was arrested on Thursday for carrying loaded shotguns outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City has been charged for making a terroristic threat, reported Sputnik. According to the news agency, New York Police Department (NYPD) told them the motive behind carrying guns is yet to be ascertained.

Earlier, the police department said that the man has no links with any terror organisation and had no intention of harming anyone. It is worth mentioning that a man was seen pacing outside one of the main gates of the UN with a loaded shotgun, holding it under his chin at times. Subsequently, he was taken into custody without any disturbance at around 1.40 p.m. 

Watch the dramatic surrender of the armed man:

According to NYPD Chief of Special Operations Harry Wedin, the man was first spotted outside a UN security checkpoint on Manhattan’s First Avenue and was repeatedly asking the officers to he wanted to deliver some "classified" documents to the UN. After reviewing the documents, the law enforcement agency said the documents were not related to the UN and added some papers include medical prescriptions.

"Our Security officers took possession of the papers," AP quoted UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric as saying. "As soon as the man surrendered, we returned the papers to the NYPD. The papers appeared to be of a medical nature, nothing related to the UN," he added. 

UN staff had placed under lockdown

However, to avoid any untoward incident, the police officers invoked a complete lockdown inside the UN building, said NYPD, and added that the staff were asked not to leave the place and were evacuated to a safer place inside the building. After the man handover his bag and the loaded gun, security officers deployed at the entrance gate allowed the movement inside the UN building. 

"Essentially, he wanted the UN to receive his documents, which is ultimately what we agreed to do — provide those documents to the UN — and he said if we could do that, he would put the gun down, which is exactly what happened," NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker said while addressing a press conference on Friday. 

Further, he added that the man is currently hospitalised and that an enquiry on his dramatic act is underway.  

With inputs from AP

Image: AP