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Occupy Pittsburgh protester crashes stolen SUV into bank building

Tuesday afternoon, a man claiming to be with Occupy Pittsburgh drove an SUV up the front steps of downtown Pittsburgh's PNC Firstside Center, hitting the entrance of the bank building.

According to WTAE, the man then fled the scene, claiming there might be an explosive device inside the SUV.

"He came down here and he stopped at the stop sign, and then he went straight up into the building. He didn't go fast," said Ashley Corek, a witness to the event.

"And then he got up and walked out, and then went up the street. That's it."

Police cordoned off the area, but found no explosives in the vehicle, and no one was injured in the crash.  Authorities said the SUV may have been stolen from the Green Tree area.

According to a report at WKBN, investigators are trying to determine if the crash was intentional.

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WTAE adds:

The driver was described as black, middle-aged, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a gray beard, wearing blue jeans, a brown jacket, a green tossle cap and wire-rimmed glasses. Police said he was last seen going into a city-owned office building at 200 Ross St. and leaving through the back door. 

A PNC spokeswoman said Firstside is still in operation, and children at a child care facility on the premises were moved to the other side of the building.

Michelle Hern, a child-care worker at the building said there were babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers present at the time.

Although the driver said he was with Occupy Pittsburgh, other protesters who have been living on the BNY Mellon lawn, said they had no knowledge of the crash.

Earlier in the day, authorities posted "No Trespassing" signs on the property taken over by Occupy Pittsburgh protesters.

More on Occupy Wall Street at Examiner.com can be found here.

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Joe Newby is an IT professional who has been involved in conservative politics for years. In 1991, he ran for City Council in Riverside, California, and has served as a campaign manager for local conservatives in California and Idaho, including former Idaho State Representative Jeff Alltus. For...

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