Guy Climbs Brooklyn Bridge, Waves Flags, Strips, and Jumps

Witnesses on Sunday watched a startling scene atop the Brooklyn Bridge end with a plunge into the East River and, ultimately, a slate of criminal charges. Police say 44-year-old Galymzhan Abaildayev climbed the 143-year-old bridge's north tower with a backpack and two flags, stripped naked at the top, then waited for cops to respond and jumped into the water below, reports News12 Brooklyn. NYPD harbor officers pulled him from the river and took him to a hospital, reports NBC News, where he was listed in stable condition. Abaildayev is now charged with reckless endangerment, graffiti, public lewdness, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct. Authorities have not said what was on the flags, and it's not clear if he has an attorney. The bridge's towers rise about 272 feet above the water, though the city lists 135 feet of clearance at its center.