Reports of a hostage situation near the Flatiron Building started breaking moments ago on Twitter. Reports of bomb disarming robots, swat teams and cops on the roof of the triangle-shaped building are materializing by the second. Update: the suspect, who barricaded himself in an apartment near 22nd and Broadway, is now in police custody.
Update 2: Via WNYC, the suspect in question is now in police custody after being led away in handcuffs by the police. WNYC also reported:
A person barricaded himself inside an apartment near the Flatiron building after contractors working on windows at the location called police because they were being “menaced” by a tenant who may have a gun, police said.
The Argo Tea Cafe, which is located at 949 Broadway, between 22nd and 23rd Street had to evacuate their customers for about 30 minutes, a spokesperson for the company noted, prompting erroneous reports on Twitter that the situation was taking place there. They are now back open for business.
“Lots of police outside the Flatiron! We’ve been warned to stay away from windows – possible gunfire. Cue everyone running to windows to look““Police activity around the Flatiron. Warnings to stay away from the windows; risk of gunfire yet?”“I DON’T EVEN KNOW!! I didn’t even get John’s “stay away from windows” memo! Are they shooting AT theflatiron??”
ksmoke@observer.com
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wrong…
It is happening in the Flatiron neighborhood, but not the Flatiron building!
Dan, Argo tea is on the first floor of the Flatiron.
Wrong, that Argo Tea is in the Flatiron Building. Typical Dan.
@ everyone… I can see argo tea from here… situation is down the street… but yes… Argo Tea does exist in the flatiron building
ticky ticky boom b!tch..runn nigga runn…lmfao
It’s on the corner of broadway and 22nd – opposite corner of the Flatiron building.
So which is it? Hostage or not hostage situation?