Man climbs Roosevelt Island tram tower: NYPD
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A man was caught climbing a Roosevelt Island tram tower on Monday evening, according to the NYPD.
Police say the initial call came in around 6:55 p.m.
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The NYPD Emergency Service Unit responded to the scene and went onto one of the tram cars to get on the same pillar. The man voluntarily surrendered to the police, according to the NYPD.
The man was taken to an area hospital. No other information was immediately available.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.
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18 minutes ago
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Minnesota shooting suspect had dozens of potential targets, prosecutors say
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man charged with killing one Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another in what prosecutors have described as a meticulously planned attack, had dozens of apparent targets, including officials in at least three other states. Vance Boelter allegedly made it to the homes of two other legislators on the night of the attacks, but one was on vacation and the suspect left the other house after police arrived, acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Monday. All of the politicians named in his writing were Democrats, including more than 45 state and federal officials in Minnesota, Thompson said. Elected leaders in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin said they, too, were mentioned in his writings. Investigators say Boelter appeared to spend months preparing for the shootings — the latest in a string of political attacks across the U.S. In Minnesota, Boelter carried out surveillance missions, took notes on the homes and people he targeted, and disguised himself as a police officer just before the shootings, Thompson said. 'It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,' he said. Boelter surrendered to police Sunday night after they found him in the woods near his home after a massive two-day search. He is accused of fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot and wounded Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, who lived a few miles away. Federal prosecutors charged Boelter, 57, with murder and stalking, which could result in a death sentence if convicted. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. At a federal court hearing Monday in St. Paul, Boelter said he could not afford an attorney. A federal public defender was appointed to represent him, and he was being held without bail pending a court appearance next week. Manny Atwal, his lead attorney, declined to comment, saying the office just got the case. Notebooks show careful planning Boelter had many notebooks full of plans, Thompson said. Underscoring what law enforcement officials said was the premeditated nature of the attacks, one notebook contained a list of internet-based people search engines, according to court records. But authorities have not found any writings that would 'clearly identify what motivated him,' Thompson said. He said it was also too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology. Democratic Rep. Esther Agbaje, whose district includes parts of Minneapolis, said she stayed with friends and family over the weekend after learning that her name appeared on the list of targets. In texts, the suspect said he 'went to war' Authorities declined to reveal the names of the other two lawmakers whose homes were targeted but escaped harm. Democratic Sen. Ann Rest said she was told the suspect parked near her home early Saturday. She said in a statement that the 'quick action' of law enforcement officers saved her life. Boelter sent a text to a family group chat after the shootings that said: 'Dad went to war last night ... I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody,' according to an FBI affidavit. His wife got another text that said: 'Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation ... there's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around,' the affidavit said. Police later found his wife in a car with her children. Officers found two handguns, about $10,000 in cash and passports for the wife and her children, according to the affidavit. Just hours after the shootings Saturday, Boelter bought an electric bike and a Buick sedan from someone he met at a bus stop in Minneapolis, the federal affidavit said. Police found the sedan abandoned on a highway Sunday morning. In the car, officers found a cowboy hat Boelter had been seen wearing in surveillance footage as well as a letter written to the FBI, authorities said. The letter said it was written by 'Dr. Vance Luther Boulter' and he was 'the shooter at large." The car was found in rural Sibley County, where Boelter owned a home. Coordinated attacks on legislators The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin. Their adult daughter called 911 to say a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents. Boelter had shown up carrying a flashlight and a 9 mm handgun and wearing a black tactical vest and a 'hyper-realistic' silicone mask, Thompson said. He first knocked and shouted: 'This is police.' At one point, the Hoffmans realized he was wearing a mask and Boelter told them 'this is a robbery.' After Sen. Hoffman tried to push Boelter out the door, Boelter shot him repeatedly and then shot his wife, the prosecutor said. A statement released Sunday by Yvette Hoffman said her husband underwent several surgeries after being hit by nine bullets. After hearing about a lawmaker being shot, officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home, according to the complaint. They exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled into the home before escaping, the complaint said. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Their dog also was shot and had to be euthanized. Search for motive continues Writings recovered from the fake police vehicle included the names of lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation. Friends and former colleagues interviewed by the AP describe Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for President Donald Trump. Boelter also is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if they knew each other. ___ Durkin Richer reported from Washington and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Michael Biesecker and Eric Tucker in Washington, John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas and Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.
New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
Mysterious hooded figure scales 250-foot-high Roosevelt Island Tram tower in nail-biting clip
A hooded, masked daredevil scaled the towering Roosevelt Island Tramway Monday evening and had to be brought down by cops in climbing gear, according to police and shocking footage. The 20-year-old suspect was seen nonchalantly walking back and forth along the gangway of the tramway's 250-feet-tall support tower on the Manhattan side, wild video obtained by The Post shows. The clip shows the urban climber stopping occasionally to lean against a railing and look at his phone. 4 A young man climbed the support beams of the Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City on June 15, 2025. Obtained by the NY Post At one point, he descends and climbs a series of short ladders on the tower and makes his way out onto an I-beam barely wide enough to accommodate his feet, the nail-biting video shows. Shocked New Yorkers called 911 to report a figure climbing up the tower just before 7 p.m., police said. Cops responded to the tramway and used climbing gear to make their way up to the suspect as an NYPD helicopter hovered overhead. As officers made their way to the top, the suspect made a defiant gesture, spreading his arms out at them, according to the footage. Meanwhile, ESU officers and FDNY firefighters staged below the tower along Andrew Haswell Green Park craned their necks up to watch the mysterious figure's antics. 4 The 20-year-old suspect was seen nonchalantly walking back and forth along the gangway of the tramway's 250-feet-tall support tower on the Manhattan side. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post 4 Cops responded to the tramway and used climbing gear to make their way up to the suspect as an NYPD helicopter hovered overhead. Obtained by the NY Post The brave cops who reached the tower's peak secured the 20-year-old in safety gear and brought him down to ground level without injury, police said. The thrill-seeking suspect was taken by paramedics to Weill-Cornell Medical Center, according to the FDNY. He was not identified by police and charges were pending Monday night. 4 People ride the tramway from Roosevelt Island as a rally in support of priority boarding for Roosevelt Island residents and workers takes place at Tramway Plaza in New York City on June 8, 2025. Leonardo Munoz Police said there is no indication that the climber was associated with a protest or a cause, but the incident remains under investigation. In 2004, an Astoria man was removed from the tower by the NYPD after he climbed to the top of the Tramway. Gerard Corrar, 55, was arrested and charged with trespass. A decade ago, the hidden camera reality show Impractical Jokers pulled a prank where a character named Captain Fat Belly went to the top of the tower as part of a stunt. The NYPD did not confirm whether the television show had approval to climb the tower, but a reality television producer said it was highly unlikely they would do something that risky without getting it cleared by the city first. Additional reporting by Kevin C. Downs
Washington Post
19 minutes ago
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Minnesota shooting suspect had dozens of potential targets, prosecutors say
MINNEAPOLIS — The man charged with killing one Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another in what prosecutors have described as a meticulously planned attack, had dozens of apparent targets, including officials in at least three other states. Vance Boelter allegedly made it to the homes of two other legislators on the night of the attacks , but one was on vacation and the suspect left the other house after police arrived, acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Monday. All of the politicians named in his writing were Democrats, including more than 45 state and federal officials in Minnesota, Thompson said. Elected leaders in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin said they, too, were mentioned in his writings. Investigators say Boelter appeared to spend months preparing for the shootings — the latest in a string of political attacks across the U.S . In Minnesota, Boelter carried out surveillance missions, took notes on the homes and people he targeted, and disguised himself as a police officer just before the shootings, Thompson said. 'It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,' he said. Boelter surrendered to police Sunday night after they found him in the woods near his home after a massive two-day search. He is accused of fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot and wounded Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, who lived a few miles away. Federal prosecutors charged Boelter, 57, with murder and stalking, which could result in a death sentence if convicted. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. At a federal court hearing Monday in St. Paul, Boelter said he could not afford an attorney. A federal public defender was appointed to represent him, and he was being held without bail pending a court appearance next week. Manny Atwal, his lead attorney, declined to comment, saying the office just got the case. Boelter had many notebooks full of plans, Thompson said. Underscoring what law enforcement officials said was the premeditated nature of the attacks, one notebook contained a list of internet-based people search engines, according to court records. But authorities have not found any writings that would 'clearly identify what motivated him,' Thompson said. He said it was also too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology. Democratic Rep. Esther Agbaje, whose district includes parts of Minneapolis, said she stayed with friends and family over the weekend after learning that her name appeared on the list of targets. Authorities declined to reveal the names of the other two lawmakers whose homes were targeted but escaped harm. Democratic Sen. Ann Rest said she was told the suspect parked near her home early Saturday. She said in a statement that the 'quick action' of law enforcement officers saved her life. Boelter sent a text to a family group chat after the shootings that said: 'Dad went to war last night ... I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody,' according to an FBI affidavit. His wife got another text that said: 'Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation ... there's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around,' the affidavit said. Police later found his wife in a car with her children. Officers found two handguns, about $10,000 in cash and passports for the wife and her children, according to the affidavit. Just hours after the shootings Saturday, Boelter bought an electric bike and a Buick sedan from someone he met at a bus stop in Minneapolis, the federal affidavit said. Police found the sedan abandoned on a highway Sunday morning. In the car, officers found a cowboy hat Boelter had been seen wearing in surveillance footage as well as a letter written to the FBI, authorities said. The letter said it was written by 'Dr. Vance Luther Boulter' and he was 'the shooter at large.' The car was found in rural Sibley County, where Boelter owned a home. The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin. Their adult daughter called 911 to say a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents. Boelter had shown up carrying a flashlight and a 9 mm handgun and wearing a black tactical vest and a 'hyper-realistic' silicone mask, Thompson said. He first knocked and shouted: 'This is police.' At one point, the Hoffmans realized he was wearing a mask and Boelter told them 'this is a robbery.' After Sen. Hoffman tried to push Boelter out the door, Boelter shot him repeatedly and then shot his wife, the prosecutor said. A statement released Sunday by Yvette Hoffman said her husband underwent several surgeries after being hit by nine bullets. After hearing about a lawmaker being shot, officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home, according to the complaint. They exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled into the home before escaping, the complaint said. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Their dog also was shot and had to be euthanized. Writings recovered from the fake police vehicle included the names of lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation. Friends and former colleagues interviewed by the AP describe Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for President Donald Trump. Boelter also is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if they knew each other. ___ Durkin Richer reported from Washington and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Michael Biesecker and Eric Tucker in Washington, John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas and Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.
