Police said the man -- later identified as 54-year-old Alberto Hernandez of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania -- was wearing jeans and no shirt when he climbed to the top of the south tower of the bridge on the New Jersey side at about 8 a.m. Police believe he parked his car and then started climbing.
The incident prompted authorities to shut down the upper level of the bridge in both directions.
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The NYPD posted photos of Hernandez when he close to the edge of the tower, and even leaning over at one point:
But the officers were able to talk him down, and he was taken into custody just before 9 a.m.
The NYPD captured this video of the takedown:
NYPD video shows GW Bridge takedown
Traffic reopened on the upper level of the bridge about an hour later.
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Hernandez was taken to the hospital for observation.