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NYPD arrests man carrying gas cans and lighters at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Posted at 5:39 AM, Apr 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-18 07:39:20-04
St.-Patricks-gas
(Photo courtesy of NYPD)

NEW YORK – Police arrested a man with gas cans, lighter fluid and lighters outside of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Wednesday night in New York City.

A security guard stopped the man, identified as 37-year-old Marc Lamparello, as he tried to enter the Cathedral. Authorities described Lamparello as “emotionally disturbed.”

“His basic story was he was cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue. [He said] that his car had run out of gas,” said NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller. “We took a look at the vehicle. It was not out of gas, and at that point, he was taken into custody and brought to the midtown north station house.”

Police seized two 2-gallon cans of gas, two bottles of lighter fluid and two extended butane lighters.

The incident comes just two days after the devastating fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.