Man with a shotgun threatens suicide outside United Nations: NYPD

Sections of the East Side were closed Thursday after a man with a shotgun threatened to kill himself in front of the United Nations, police said.

Cops were called to First Ave. near 41st St. about 10:30 a.m. after repeated sightings of the man standing in front of the UN with a shotgun.

The white-haired man, wearing a red long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans, was pacing back and forth with the weapon under his chin, complaining about the environment and problems with his family.

There was an unattended plastic bag near him, prompting a response by the NYPD Bomb Squad, and a bottle of water and a bullhorn on a ledge behind him, police said.

Cops closed off surrounding streets and the Robert Moses Playground before beginning a dialogue with the man, who appeared to be muttering to himself. Police engaged him from about 20 feet away.

“There is a dialogue,” a police source said. “He’s making statements about the environment. He’s saying, ‘The environment’s not right.’”

A Parks worker who wouldn’t give her name said she was in playground when police converged.

“All of a sudden there was a rush of police cars, like whoosh. They saw the kids here and said ‘You gotta go.’”

More than 20 children and at least one teacher were there, the parks employee said.

“They had me close the park.”

This is a developing story.