Lansing - The man who climbed a 525-foot communication tower located next to the WLNS news station, 2820 E. Saginaw St., on Saturday told police he was lonely and trying to see his family.
Police haven't released the name of the man that brought Lansing police and firefighters to a standstill as he climbed about 400 feet after jumping a six-foot barbed wire tipped fence to reach the 525-foot tower.
Police said the man told them his family lives in Miami.
The man, who police say has caused several disturbances in the past two weeks, safely climbed down from the tower after two hours of suspense.
Police couldn't communicate with the man until he started descending down the tower.
Once he reached about 100 feet in the air, police used a Spanish-speaking officer to negotiate with him.
"It's probably one event I'm always going to remember," Lansing police officer Joel Mires said after negotiating him down to ground level. "It's an unusual thing you see in the movies."
Lansing police Sgt. Dave Ellis said he doesn't know what else police can do for the man. They've responded to calls from his neighbors he's bothered and hospitals he has refused to leave.
Ellis said police tried to help the man but he has not been cooperative in telling how to contact family members.
"The past two weeks the issues change from day to day," he said. "Maybe he thought this will make a better statement."
The man has no pending violations, and police say he will not be prosecuted for climbing the tower.
Lansing fire Capt. John Dyer said special high-angle trained teams were prepared to climb up the tower to assist the man down, but had to assess the man's state of mind first. The safest result was to allow the man to climb down on his own.
Dyer said witnesses reported the man banged on the door of the news station and then ran to the tower.
"It's not the typical Saturday," he said.
As police attempted to make contact with the climber, many passers-by assembled and watched the ordeal play out.
"It could be a tragic story," Lansing resident Don Franksburg said. "But for now, it has a happy ending."
