A man arrested for walking into New York's St Patrick's Cathedral with gas cans & lighters had booked a one-way flight to Rome & was caught trespassing at another church Monday. Marc Lamparello, 37, entered the church on Wednesday (Courtesy of YouTube)
April 18, 2019 – In Breaking News – CNN
For more than an hour, Marc Lamparello drove and walked around St. Patrick’s Cathedral before he entered the church carrying gallons of gasoline, lighter fluid and lighters, New York police said.
He walked 20 feet into the church on Wednesday evening and almost reached the last row of pews when an usher approached him, telling him he could not be there with the cans of gasoline, NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller told reporters.
Before he was arrested, the 37-year-old then told counterterrorism officers that he was trying to reach his minivan because it had run out of gas.
Miller said officers confirmed Lamparello’s vehicle had fuel.
(St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City might have been the target of a terrorist. Cops say 37-year-old Marc Lamparello of New Jersey was arrested after he entered the church with two gas cans, lighter fluid and butane lighters. Police released images of what they say he had with him when he walked into the church at 7:55 p.m. Wednesday night. Police say he told them he had run out of gas and was just “cutting through” on his way to get gas. Courtesy of Inside Edition and YouTube. Posted on Apr 18, 2019.)
Lamparello, of New Jersey, is expected to be charged on Thursday with attempted arson, reckless endangerment and trespassing. It’s unclear when he will be arraigned.
“There doesn’t appear to be a connection to any terrorist group or any terrorist related intent here,” Miller said.
His arrest appears to have ended a series of events that took place over 72 hours.
Courtesy of YouTube
Police said the suspect had been staying at a hotel for several days and was arrested Monday when he refused to leave the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark, New Jersey.
During that incident, Lamparello “got into a physical altercation” with Essex County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Miller said.
And hours before Wednesday’s incident, the suspect booked a one-way flight to Rome that was set to leave Thursday evening, authorities said.
Lamparello’s arrest comes days after the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned in what officials say could be an accident related to renovation work.
Authorities said the suspect did not make any references to Notre Dame while speaking to investigators.
Courtesy of the NYPD, Twitter and YouTube
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
“It’s hard to say exactly what his intentions were, but I think the totality of circumstances of an individual walking into an iconic location like St. Patrick’s Cathedral, carrying over four gallons of gasoline, two bottles of lighter fluid and lighters is something we would have great concern over,” Miller said.
(A philosophy professor arrested for walking into New York’s famed St Patrick’s Cathedral with gas cans and lighters had booked a one-way flight to Rome and was caught trespassing at another church on Monday. Marc Lamparello, 37, entered the Manhattan church on Wednesday evening with the two gallon cans of gasoline before being apprehended by security at around 8pm on Wednesday night. Courtesy of the Daily Mail and YouTube. Posted on Apr 18, 2019.)
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