Man Climbs National Christmas Tree, Comes Down and Gets Sent to Hospital
National Christmas Tree Man Climbs Up ... Comes Down, Goes to Hospital
Someone was really feeling a little too much holiday spirit -- Friday night a man climbed the National Christmas Tree near the White House.
After a stalemate with U.S. Park Police, the man finally came down and was taken to a hospital for mental evaluation. No injuries were reported, and Park Police described the climber as being in "emotional distress."
The wild scene started unfolding around 5:45 PM Friday night at the Ellipse, which is across the street from the White House.
After the man climbed about 15 to 20 feet up, the 74,000 LED lights covering the giant spruce were turned off, creating an eerie scene. By the time the climber started heading down, the lights were turned back on and police officers rushed inside to track him down.
President Trump and Melania held a ceremonial tree lighting Nov. 28, and the tree stays lit from dusk until 11 PM every night for 3 weeks.
