A New Jersey man is under arrest after he reportedly tried to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City with two butane lighters, two gas cans and two bottles of lighter fluid.
The man was stopped by security guards by the church entrance with the items in the photo below. When the man turned away from the confrontation with the guard, he spilled some gasoline. Soon after the security officer notified two counter-terrorism officers who were stationed outside the church. The man was then apprehended.
Around 7:55pm, a man walked into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan with gas cans and lighter fluid, and was subsequently apprehended by @NYPDCT without incident. We thank our partners for their help, and remember - if you see something, say something. pic.twitter.com/qEbmklnqzQ
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 18, 2019
The motive has not yet been determined:
NBC News: Four senior New York law enforcement officials say a 37 year old man from New Jersey was taken into custody by the NYPD at St. Patrick's Cathedral with two gas cans.
Police have not formally determined a motive. Reported w/ @jonathan4ny
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) April 18, 2019
There are reports that the would-be terrorist is an "emotionally disturbed" man.
police say this is what a man from new jersey - descripted as emotionally distturbed - tried to bring into St. Patrick’s Cathedral tonight... gas cans and lighter fluid and a lighter ... he was stopped by church security.
and arrested by the NYPD pic.twitter.com/JobzYJ7wKe— Bill Ritter (@billritter7) April 18, 2019
Here is the presser by NYPD:
Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and @NYPDCT John Miller provides a preliminary update regarding tonight’s incident at St. Patrick’s Catherdal in #Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/SO2MwbSBIB
— Terence Monahan (@TerenceMonahan) April 18, 2019
Great job by the security officer and the counter-terrorism officers. They did their job and kept the structure and the people safe from terrorism. Hats off to them.
