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Man Who Climbed Trump Tower Faces Criminal Charges

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Police grab an unidentified man scaling Trump Tower using suction cups, August 10, 2016 in New York. Police on August 10, 2016 captured a climber scaling Trump Tower, dragging him to safety through an open window on the 21st floor of the New York headquarters of the Republican nominee for US president. Live television footage showed uniformed officers reaching out and grabbing the young man -- dressed in grey shorts, an olive T-shirt and white cap -- around three hours after he started his ascent using five suction cups. "The climber has been taken into custody," a police spokesman tweeted.
Police grab an unidentified man scaling Trump Tower using suction cups, August 10, 2016 in New York. Police on August 10, 2016 captured a climber scaling Trump Tower, dragging him to safety through an open window on the 21st floor of the New York headquarters of the Republican nominee for US president. Live television footage showed uniformed officers reaching out and grabbing the young man -- dressed in grey shorts, an olive T-shirt and white cap -- around three hours after he started his ascent using five suction cups. "The climber has been taken into custody," a police spokesman tweeted.Bryan R. Smith—Getty Images
By Mahita Gajanan

Police have filed criminal charges against a Virginia man who climbed Trump Tower.

Stephen Rogata, 19, was charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass, the New York Police Department said Thursday, for using a device made of suction cups to scale the tower, located in midtown Manhattan.

Rogata was attempting to climb all the way to the top of Trump Tower to speak with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He climbed up the building’s glass facade for about three hours Wednesday afternoon before police pulled him into a window at about 6:30 p.m.

The stunt captured widespread attention, as crowds filled the streets and thousands tuned in to watch livestreams of the climb.

Rogata was taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychological examination and remained there as of Thursday morning, police said.

In a video posted to YouTube on Tuesday, Rogata said he was seeking a private meeting with Trump to “discuss an important matter,” and urged people to vote for the presidential candidate.

Trump commented on the incident in a tweet.

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Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com