Suspicious man tackled by NYPD cops close to President Obama's visit to Ground Zero

NYPD counter terrorism unit and the Secret Service team to tackle a suspicious bicyclist on Church St. at the time of President Obama's visit to Ground Zero Thursday















A man was tackled by police and briefly held at gunpoint Thursday, just as President Obama's motorcade was pulling onto Church St. in lower Manhattan, police said.

Cops jumped over barricades near a post office and rushed toward a man in his 20s. The man was carrying a messenger bag and pushing a bicycle.

"(The police) were hustling through the crowd yelling 'It's him! It's the guy with the Cubs hat!'" said Daily News photographer Bryan Smith, who captured the exclusive pictures.

Witnesses said cops tossed the man to the sidewalk. One cop searched his bag. Another officer pointed a gun at him.

"No guns! No guns!" one of the officers screamed. "We got him!"

Twenty minutes before the drama, the unidentified man was walking his bike, navigating his way through the crowd.

"Secret Service!" he hollered. "Secret Service! Coming through!"

Cops pulled the man to his feet and hustled him into the post office. NYPD officials said the man was questioned after the 2:20 p.m. clash and released.

It wasn't immediately clear why he was detained.