2 Empire State Building climbers in custody after getting engaged at the top
By: -----
New York City, NY - Two people climbed to the very top of New York City's Empire State Building, unfurled a banner, and then apparently got engaged Wednesday afternoon.
The two have since been arrested.
The NYPD identified them as Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angelina Nikolau, 33, although Kuznetsov's social media page identifies him as Ivan Beerkus. They live in East Orange, New Jersey, and have a history of conducting similar stunts, climbing tall buildings without ropes or other safety equipment.
They face a host of charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, violation of local law, possession of burglar's tools, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, sources said.
It was a wedding proposal that gripped the city.
It started at around noon Wednesday, when a man and a woman, who could be seen wearing masks, reached the very top of the Empire State Building and unfurled a large black banner with white lettering. There had no visible safety equipment, and clung to the spire by their fingertips.
"When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace," the banner read. The quote is often attributed to Jimi Hendrix.
Preliminary information indicates the two got in through a hatch on the 103rd floor used for water tower maintenance, law enforcement sources told CBS News.
The 103rd floor is not open to the public, though the 102nd is. The question is now how they got from 102 to 103, which allowed them to climb all the way to the top of the radio and television transmission tower for local stations.
Shortly after reaching the top and flying the banner, one of the two began to descend, but then made their way back to the top.
They were posting to social media while at the top.