Man with gas cans at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral taken into custody by NYPD

Police by St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Doha Madani

A man carrying gasoline cans at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral was taken into custody by the New York Police Department on Wednesday, according to NBC News.

The man was described by law enforcement sources as emotionally disturbed, NBC reported.

The archdiocese said in a statement that the man had been stopped as he tried to enter the cathedral, and that nothing had occurred within the building itself.

Gas cans and lighter fluid were confiscated by the New York Police Department from a man carrying the items into St. Patrick's Cathedral, April 17, 2019.

Source: NYPD

Authorities said the man was carrying two 2-gallon cans of gasoline, two bottles of lighter fluid, and two lighters. When a church employee stopped his entry, the man fled down 5th Avenue, they said.

When authorities caught up with him, the man said his car had run out of gas and he was taking a shortcut through the church, the NYPD said.