NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — An artist who posted a video of himself climbing atop the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge to YouTube last week turned himself in Friday, police said.
Police identified the climber as Brendan Fagan of Brooklyn. Fagan, 35, surrendered to police Friday morning with his attorney present, police said.
READ MORE: Stepfather Arrested In Death Of 10-Year-Old Boy In Harlem Apartment BuildingFagan faces reckless endangerment and criminal trespass charges.
The climb went virtually undetected until the video was uploaded to YouTube by street artist “Judith Supine,” CBS 2’s Jessica Schneider reported.
Supine recorded his climb around 4 a.m. last Tuesday to showcase a piece of his art, Schneider reported.
“It’s just something I like to do for fun. To be naughty and run around the city and put my art in places I’m not supposed to,” Supine told CBS 2’s Jessica Schneider Sunday.
As 1010 WINS’ Carol D’Auria reported, a friend of Fagan’s, Anthony Sneed, rushed to Fagan’s defense Friday. Sneed said Fagan is a successful artist who has made lots of money selling and displaying it in galleries around the world.
He said Fagan did not simply climb the bridge for attention.
“Whether it’s on the Queensboro Bridge or it’s him swimming in the East River getting sick for it, he just does things to entertain himself,” Sneed said, “and if he can entertain others along the way, it’s a win-win.”
