NYPD: Man with knife, water pistol arrested at Trump Tower

A man from upstate New York was arrested Monday evening at Trump Tower after attempting to bring a knife, fireworks and a water gun into the building, NYPD officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Alexander Wang, 19, a Baruch College student from Poughquag, was arrested shortly after 6:35 p.m. after U.S. Secret Service guards discovered the items in his book bag during a routine screening required of all visitors entering the president-elect’s namesake building.

Wang was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of fireworks. An NYPD spokeswoman said he was arrested without incident and did not have a previous arrest record in the city.

Reached for comment, Trump transition spokeswoman Hope Hicks referred all questions to the Secret Service.

Secret Service officials reached by phone said the agency would not comment on the arrest. Last month the agency issued a statement about its plans to boost security at Trump Tower, saying “as a matter of practice, security plans will evolve in order to address emerging threats and to improve efficiencies.”

Security at Trump Tower has been heightened since Trump was elected. Armed Secret Service officers and explosive-detecting dogs are usually posted outside the building’s entrances on Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, and all visitors heading into the building must have their bags screened.

Last week New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio requested $35 million in federal funding to cover the NYPD’s overtime and staffing costs to protect Trump, but Congress only approved $7 million in funding.

With Alison Fox

By Laura Figueroa Hernandez

laura.figueroa@newsday.com@Laura_Figueroa

Laura Figueroa Hernandez is the White House correspondent and previously covered New York City politics and government. She joined Newsday in 2012 after covering state and local politics for The Miami Herald.