Starting around 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, police and firefighters started getting reports that a man had climbed the 80-foot sequoia tree in a street median at 4th & Stewart just outside the downtown Macy's store. The man had climbed about 70 feet up and parked himself and started yelling obscenities, throwing apples, and then pine cones at passers-by.
Still up there around 2:45 p.m., he started taking off branches off the tree, which is decorated for Christmas every year, and throwing them at the negotiator below.
A @SeattlePD negotiator talks to #manintree near 4th & Stewart in #Seattle. (@Gilbertphoto) https://t.co/zh0FoEcT91 pic.twitter.com/YXBLu1Ms3e
— Seattle Times Photo (@SeaTimesPhoto) March 22, 2016
#ManInTree is now throwing branches from his perch in downtown Seattle: https://t.co/KDpaGUCteQ pic.twitter.com/4CcWNX9HUu
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) March 22, 2016
Seattle's #ManInTree has done some significant pruning - https://t.co/KDpaGUCteQ pic.twitter.com/NnXgVb2x3Z
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) March 22, 2016
As you might imagine, traffic in and around the region will be "impacted" for the foreseeable future. King County Metro has started re-routing trolleys.
As is the way of our world, he already has his own Twitterfeed.
Status update. I'm still in tree. #ManInTree https://t.co/Ib2QaQHyMD pic.twitter.com/D14V3Ayx6E
— Man In Tree (@Man_In_Tree) March 22, 2016
Even one of the firefighters trying to help him has a Twitterfeed now.
Per police spokesperson Patrick Michaud, the authorities aren't going to rush the situation.
"At this point, we want to make sure he’s OK and that he can get down from the tree without hurting himself or someone else," Michaud said. "We’re on his schedule — we’re not going to rush it with someone at the top of a tall tree. If you rush it, it could become dangerous."
4:00 p.m. Update: Apparently he's a Twilight fan. Or not a Twilight fan. One of those.
WHAT. https://t.co/B5zLVa1PZq
— Seattlish (@seattlish) March 22, 2016
4:15 p.m. Update: It's raining now.
Light rain has reached #ManInTree downtown.
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) March 22, 2016
4:50 p.m. Update: Man in Tree still in tree. He's stood up a couple times but otherwise right where we left him.
5:30 p.m. Update: After a couple daliances with coming down, Man In Tree has gone back up top and continues to find things to pick off the branches.
7:00 p.m. Update: He's still up there...
7:30 p.m. Update: Oh boy...
#ManInTree if this is not solved by 8 o'clock I will come up with a strategy and attempt to help. Sometimes only crazy can help crazy.
— Phoenix Jones (@ThePhoenixJones) March 23, 2016
8:45 p.m. Update: Still up in that tree...
9:00 p.m. Update: WE WERE SO CLOSE!
#ManInTree is coming down.... for real this time?
— Curbed Seattle (@CurbedSeattle) March 23, 2016
#ManInTree getting a few parting shots in as he descends. Kicking more branches off. Not cool, bro. pic.twitter.com/Ke5UCWq7V1
— Curbed Seattle (@CurbedSeattle) March 23, 2016
And just like that #ManInTree is going back up. pic.twitter.com/XzzxxSkZm9
— Curbed Seattle (@CurbedSeattle) March 23, 2016
Aaaand #ManInTree is back atop the tree. pic.twitter.com/fu5jrZumrK
— Curbed Seattle (@CurbedSeattle) March 23, 2016
· Man climbs Macy’s Christmas tree downtown; traffic disrupted [ST]