A mentally unstable man, who reportedly “had an infatuation” with Joe Biden, got within yards of the vice president before being stopped at the Olympics opening ceremonies.
The man, who was later taken to a psychiatric facility, used false accreditation to get close to Biden while the vice president was sitting in the VIP section at BC Place Stadium Friday, according to Cpl. Joe Taplin of the Olympics security task force.
Taplin said that the man got about 12 rows from Biden before two female plainclothes officers grabbed him.
"He had an infatuation with the U.S. vice president," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer told Canada's CTV, reports the New York Daily News.
Taplin says the man, who was not carrying a weapon, was escorted into a hallway, tried to flee, and then was apprehended again.
The man has been handed over to Vancouver police department, which is not recommending charges at this time but “believe mental health issues were a contributing factor,” according to Taplan.
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