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Armed man trying to reach Ivanka Trump arrested

Friday, 07 July 2017 2:16 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 07 July 2017 5:28 PM ]

US First Daughter Ivanka Trump

A man wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with two knives has been arrested trying to enter Trump Tower in New York City and speak with the US president’s daughter Ivanka Trump.

Police said the man, identified as Adames Benitez, showed up in a suit outside the New York City’s landmark on Thursday evening and claimed to be a US senator intending to see President Donald Trump's oldest daughter and talk to Ivanka about her dress line.

The 52-year-old man from the Bronx neighborhood, as police reported, had the ballistic gear on under his shirt when he arrived at the building, also carrying two throwing knives, a sock with a metal object inside and a fake identity card. New York Police Department and Secret Service agents prevented the man from entering the tower building and quickly took him into custody.

A New York City Police (NYPD) officer patrols across the street from Trump Tower, May 4, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by AFP)

Benitez was transported to a medical center for a psychiatric evaluation and later arrested and charged with criminal possession of weapons, criminal possession of a forged instrument and a forged ID.

No members of the Trump family were in the building, as the US president and his daughter are in Germany for the G20 summit.

Ivanka worked for her billionaire-father's company before Trump was elected president and is now an unpaid White House adviser. She has been accused in the US of benefiting from nepotism.