Empire State Building Climbers Arraigned on Felony Charges After 1,450-Foot Engagement Stunt
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 3
Empire State Building Climbers Arraigned on Felony Charges After 1,450-Foot Engagement Stunt
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 3
Summary
Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, were arraigned Thursday on felony charges and released under court supervision after climbing the Empire State Building spire and getting engaged.
Investigators say the pair entered as visitors Tuesday night, hid in a maintenance room after closing, then emerged before dawn, loosened barriers and cut two padlocks to reach the antenna.
Prosecutors say Kuznetsov told police he wanted to do something special for the proposal, while investigators also suspect the stunt was meant to boost social media and a possible documentary project.
The rescue required the broadcast antenna to be shut down for about 30 minutes before NYPD officers in harnesses climbed roughly 1,250 feet; damage to a 104th-floor security lock was estimated at $2,000.
The couple face burglary, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief counts, while the case is also raising questions about how they breached security at one of New York's most closely watched landmarks.