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Man In Tree Throwing Apples Causes Havoc in Seattle

By Jonny Hughes
Published on: 22:39 PST, Mar 22, 2016

A man in a tree has caused havoc in downtown Seattle by refusing to come down and by throwing apples at passersby. The man, who remains known only as “man in tree,” climbed to the very top of the popular 80-foot Sequoia tree at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Stewart street at around 11 a.m and has not yet come down, despite the best efforts of police and firefighters, Komo News has reported.

Soon after the man climbed to the top of the iconic tree, police responded to calls of an agitated man in a tree and arrived at the scene at approximately 11:30 a.m. At this point “man in tree” began throwing apples at passersby and the police who were trying to help him, seeing Seattle Police have to shut down nearby traffic as a safety precaution. Negotiators have been attempting to talk the man down via the use of a fire-truck ladder which is on the scene, but the man refused, and King 5 state that firefighters withdrew their ladder shortly after 6:30 p.m.

Seattle police have told Komo News that the man claims to have a knife, and all he has requested is a pack of Camel Crush cigarettes. During the lengthy stand-off, “man in tree” has also begun to throw branches of the tree, pine cones, orange peels, and other items at those that have tried to rescue him.

It looked like the standoff was coming to an end at roughly 9 p.m, as the man began to descend the tree. But after getting halfway down, he changed his mind and returned to the top. He appears to have built himself a nest out of branches, and 12 hours on, he shows no sign of relenting.

Gawker reported that a self-proclaimed citizen super-hero, who calls himself “Phoenix Jones,” has been turned away by police after turning up to the scene with a sandwich, beer, and Newports for “man in tree.” “Phoenix Jones” has taken to Twitter to voice his displeasure at not being allowed to help the man, whom he claims he has dealt with before.

In addition to causing havoc in Downtown Seattle by re-routing all the nearby traffic, the man has also received an enormous amount of attention, with many heading down to see the man for themselves. In addition to this, #ManInTree has gone viral on Twitter as people all around the world have begun to follow the unusual story. While many have made jokes about the strange situation, many are also worried for the man. One person has even started an account, @Man_In_Tree and has started tweeting from the handle.

Eye witnesses on the ground have told the Komo News team that “man in tree” is clearly agitated, with some questioning the man’s mental health, while others believe that he is on drugs. Many are fearing for the man’s well-being, as he appears to be so agitated, but there are also concerns for the iconic tree.

The 80-foot Sequoia is a popular tree in Seattle that has been in the area since the 1970’s. A breathtaking sight, its condition has been deteriorating for years, and this ordeal will surely leave its mark after the man has broken off many branches either to throw or as part of the nest that he has built. Officials have stated that, once the stand-off has come to an ending, they will review the health of the tree.

In the early hours of the morning in Seattle, “man in tree” remains firmly at the top and shows no signs of coming down. He appears to be resting in the nest that he has built but still remains agitated, as he appears to be shouting either to himself or those that remain at the scene to keep an eye on him overnight.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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