UN Headquarters in New York Cordoned Off After Armed Man Found Outside: Report

"The UN headquarters is closed. There is police activity," a UN spokesman told AFP.

The United Nations headquarters in New York was cordoned off on Thursday, 2 December.

(Photo Courtesy: Video Screengrab, Altered by The Quint)

The United Nations headquarters in New York was cordoned off on Thursday, 2 December, after a man was found holding what appeared to be a shotgun outside the building, officials said, as per AFP. Later, the police was involved in a stand-off with the man.

The official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the man had threatened to kill himself at the entrance of one of the buildings.

Images showed the man standing on the sidewalk while holding the shotgun for nearly two hours, with the police having surrounded the area.

Later, the New York Police Department said in a tweet, "The individual is now in custody and there is NO THREAT to the public."

As a precautionary measure, the avenue along the UN headquarters was briefly closed to traffic. However, AFP reported that the meetings inside had not been immediately affected.

"Due to a police investigation, avoid the area of 42 Street and 1st Avenue. Expect emergency vehicles in the surrounding area," the New York police department had said on Twitter.

Before turning himself in, the man left several notebooks on the sidewalk, which were later taken by the police, Reuters reported.

Further, clarifying if the man was in anyway connected to the United Nations, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was reported as saying, "We have absolutely zero indication that this person is a staff member or former staff member or in any way linked to the UN."

(With inputs from AFP and Reuters.)