New York City, N.Y., Apr 17, 2019 / 19:55 pm
A man is in custody after he attempted to bring containers of gasoline into St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City Wednesday night.
The man was identified by NYPD as Marc Lamparello, a Ph.D. student at City University of New York. He has been arrested previously for criminal trespass and public drunkenness.
Lamparello was apprehended by cathedral security around 8 p.m. and taken into police custody by officers with the NYPD Critical Response Command. He attempted to start a fire using a lighter, and police said he had a car nearby to escape the scene.
According to the NYPD, Lamparello had four gallons of gasoline, two cans of lighter fluid, and two lighters with him when he attempted to enter the cathedral. He was prevented from entering by cathedral security, but was able to spill some of the gasoline on the floor as he was leaving.