Shirtless man climbs to top of 325-foot ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, California cops say

A shirtless man wearing a face covering scaled the 325-foot-tall Supreme Scream drop tower Saturday night at Knott’s Berry Farm, California police say.

The man stood atop the tower for more than an hour before descending on his own, Buena Park police reported on Twitter.

Television news video shows the man standing beside a flagpole on the tower, at some points with his arms outstretched, after climbing it at 7:23 p.m. Pacific time.

Fire rescue crews were preparing to go up after the man when he climbed down a ladder about 9 p.m., the Orange County Register reported. He was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

It’s not known why the man climbed the ride, KTTV reported.

The amusement park remained open during the incident but Supreme Scream and other nearby rides were evacuated, prompting complaints from some park-goers, KCBS reported.

Park-goers had initially pointed the man out to a police officer patrolling Knott’s Berry Farm, the Orange County Register reported.

In a statement, Knott’s Berry Farm said the man had “accessed an unauthorized area” to climb the tower, KTTV reported,

The Supreme Scream attraction lifts riders 250 feet into the air, then drops them at 50 mph, according to the amusement park’s website.

A drive-by shooting of two teenagers outside Knott’s Berry Farm on July 9 sparked a panic inside the park as visitors hid or evacuated, McClatchy News reported.

This story was originally published July 18, 2021 at 10:21 AM with the headline "Shirtless man climbs to top of 325-foot ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, California cops say."