Artist Who Scaled Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Posted Video To YouTube, Arrested

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.

Fagan 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."

Sneed said he doubts Fagan will climb another bridge anytime soon, but he said he expects we have not seen the last of him.

The latest stunt comes at a time of heightened sensitivity about security surrounding New York City's major landmarks.

Earlier this month, a 16-year-old New Jersey boy snuck through a hole in the fence and past a security guard at 1 World Trade Center and then snapped pictures at the top of the tower.

Several men also recently turned themselves in to police after video of them BASE jumping from atop 1 World Trade Center in September was posted on YouTube.

The group had snuck through a faulty fence, Schneider reported.

Sen. Charles Schumer has  called for the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a review of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's safety procedures at the World Trade Center construction site.

He said this latest display of bridge scaling should also be taken seriously.

"These days you say who else could climb to the top of the Queensboro Bridge for a much more evil purpose? We have to be far more careful with our landmarks, with all of our entryways. Far more careful," Schumer said.

The Brooklyn Bridge has two police officers stationed at each side 24/7 since it is considered a terrorist target, Schneider reported.

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