Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Impatient Billionaire Gets Psychiatric Evaluation After Allegedly Pulling Gun On Elevator Operator


By

Garth Johnston

Published Nov 22, 2012

Modified Nov 22, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Garth Johnston

Published Nov 22, 2012

Modified Nov 22, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

66-year-old New York billionaire Stewart Rahr, who apparently calls himself "No. 1 King of All Fun," has had two of his guns confiscated and may lose his handgun license after he allegedly pulled one of them on a Trump Tower elevator operator who didn't wait for him. The confiscation comes after Rahr was banned from Nobu for life because he allegedly fought with a manager and tried to bribe a group of diners into leaving their table.

So what the hell happened with the elevator? Rahr tells the Post he "was with Sen. Charles Schumer outside the mogul’s 24th-floor headquarters on Nov. 1 when 'I told the guy, ‘I’m in a hurry. I’ll be back in 30 seconds.'" But the anachronistic elevator operator had already started to shut the door. It's so hard to find good help these days!

And waiting apparently pissed off the buddy of Donald Trump and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, so the drugstore-billionaire went and found the elevator operator later on and "chewed him out" (seriously, an elevator operator). And that is where the unnamed operator and Rahr's stories differ:

"His union rep called the police and said I pulled a gun on him. I never pulled it out. I have no idea how he knew I had a gun."

Rahr, who now devotes his time to philanthropy, claimed the weapon, a licensed revolver he has owned for years, wasn’t even loaded.

“They opened it and saw there were no bullets,” Rahr said of cops.

Bullets or no bullets, cops took the gun (and another one) away and hauled the billionaire to a hospital for a psychological evaluation (he was released an hour later). According to the NYPD, Rahr's license has been suspended while the investigation continues.

Tagged

guns

nypd

steve rahr

weapon license


Garth Johnston

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church

Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Oct 18, 2026 at 10:34 a.m. ET


Bail reform remains major issue in NY governor's race, 7 years after it became law

Repeat offenders are a big talking point in the governor's race.

By

Gino Fanelli

News

Bail reform remains major issue in NY governor's race, 7 years after it became law

Repeat offenders are a big talking point in the governor's race.

By

Gino Fanelli


NYPD searching for 'person of interest' in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting

By

Ryan Kost

and

Elizabeth Kim

Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home

By

Ryan Kost

Being reigning champions is weird for Knicks fans, but we could get used to this.

By

Catalina Gonella


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .