PHOENIX — A man has been arrested after scaling Chase Tower in downtown Phoenix Tuesday morning.
Phoenix fire officials stressed after the incident how dangerous it was and urged against the man's actions.
Crews were called to the building near Central Avenue and Van Buren Street around 9:30 a.m. for a person multiple floors from the ground on the outside of the 40-story building.
A man was seen wedged between walls in a crevasse area who appeared to be moving and continuing to climb while emergency crews staged below and on top of the building. The man eventually made it to the top of the building and was assisted by rescue crews.
Phoenix Fire Department says the climber "stated he was a professional climber and his intention was to make it to the top of the building."
The climber did make it to the top after about an hour of climbing with crews at the scene ready to assist if necessary.
Phoenix police say the 23-year-old man was arrested and faces charges of trespassing and criminal nuisance.
His organization, Let Them Live, says this is the seventh high-rise he’s climbed.
“To actually protest the abortion industry, and bring awareness to the pro-life movement,” said Tim Clement, who knows the man.
The stunt is one the Phoenix Fire Department is not happy about and strongly urges against it. They said there are other places in the Valley people can free climb.
“This a stupid, stupid move. This is so dangerous. You put not only yourself in danger, you put the firefighters in danger. You put anybody else, walking below, or anybody walking around this incident, in danger,” said Capt. Todd Keller, with the Phoenix Fire Department.
The incident caused a lot of commotion in downtown Phoenix, which was already busy with the Super Bowl. Some people working nearby came to see what was going on.
“With everything else that's going on in the downtown area, I wouldn't be surprised to see somebody doing some crazy stunt like that,” said Daniel Shute who worked a few blocks over.
