SEATTLE — A man wrapped in duct tape alarmed people in downtown Seattle Friday morning by making threats and walking around with a pipe taped to his arm.
The man, whose name was not released, complied with officers who rushed to the scene and voluntarily removed the suspicious device, which had a wire attached, said police spokesman Mark Jamieson.
A bomb squad was investigating whether it was explosive but Jamieson said it looks “real enough.”
The man in his 40s and dressed all in black was taken into custody for questioning.
Jamieson said police responded to numerous calls shortly after 8 a.m. and closed off the area around Third and James near the King County Courthouse.
Police cautiously approached the man and he cooperated. They gave him scissors and had him remove the device.
A nearby apartment resident, Justin Anderson, said he saw the man walking down the street, pacing in circles, and playing with tape that held a pipe to his arm.
Anderson said the man obeyed police commands shortly before 9 a.m. and put his hands behind his head and surrendered.
The incident closed a major downtown intersection for about two hours.
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