Police, Bomb Squad Called In After Man Tries To Set Himself On Fire Near World Trade Center

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Police say a man has been taken into custody near the World Trade Center, after apparently pouring gasoline on himself and trying to set himself on fire.

Officers stopped the man before he could carry out his horrific plan and took the man to a local hospital for evaluation. Police later labeled the man as an emotionally disturbed person.

It happened around 4 p.m. on Vesey Street near West Street – creating major gridlock as police closed down the area to investigate a suspicious package that was also at the scene.

The NYPD Bomb Squad was called in to check out the suitcase left nearby, but later deemed the object to be safe. Authorities added that the two incidents appear to be completely unrelated to each other.

NYPD officers were still in the area Tuesday evening, although West Street has reopened

There are still residual back-ups being reported.

Police are also still talking to the man who tried to set himself ablaze to find out his motives.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.