2ND MAN CLIMBS WEST SIDE BUILDING IN COPYCAT STUNT

June 4, 2008 --

A second man climbed up the side of the New York Times' building on the West Side, just hours after a daredevil did the same stunt.

The New York Times reported on its City Room blog that the man was climbing on the south side of the building and as of 6:10 p.m., he was nine stories up.

He appeared to be moving at a slower rate than Alain Robert, an experienced climber who scaled the building eariler in the day.

The climber, who was taken into custody as he reached the top of the building, was identifeid as Renaldo Clarke, 32, of Brooklyn.

Officers at the scene became concerned that the man might be an emotionally disturbed copycat, and he was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, according to police.

Clarke, wearing a white t-shirt and orange pants, climbed the wall on the west side of the building by Eighth Avenue around 6 p.m. He was said to be unaffiliated with Alain Robert, the famous French daredevil who scaled the building earlier in the day.

Clarke did not appear to be secured into any type of rope or bungee cord as he made his way up.

It appeared he was growing tired as he continued up, taking breaks as he clung to the wall, occasionally pulling his arms back as if to stretch them out.

Police pulled Clarke to safety when he reached the roof around 6:40 p.m., pulling him over a guardrail and quickly placing him under arrest.