Marble House Mansion Evacuated after Man Rushes Gate, Hides

The Marble House mansion was briefly evacuated on Monday after a 20-year-old Central Falls man rushed the entrance and hid in a restricted area.

Police said officers were dispatched at around 4:25 p.m. after a report of an unwanted person on the property.

Staff at the mansion said that the man, later identified as Luis M. Lopez, 20, of 387 Hunt St., Central Falls, rushed through the entrance without a ticket and jumped over a rope blocking access to the restricted area.

Employees told the man several times to leave, according to a police report, but he ran and hid.

The building was evacuated to prevent anyone from being harmed as “his intentions were unknown,” police said.

Police began a search of the mansion and as they were going up a spiral staircase between the second and third floors, saw a bathroom. Lopez was found hiding in the corner of the bathroom and reportedly resisted officers’ efforts to get him to leave the room.

Police said they had to use physical force to restrain Lopez as he kicked his legs and fought with officers. One officer used his baton and “delivered several strikes while telling Lopez to stop kicking his legs,” the police report stated.

Lopez was eventually subdued and was led out of the building.

Lopez was held for arraignment Tuesday.