“We want to make sure he’s O.K. and that he can get down from the tree without hurting himself or someone else,” a police spokesman, Patrick Michaud, told The Seattle Times. “We’re on his schedule — we’re not going to rush it with someone at the top of a tall tree. If you rush it, it could become dangerous.”

The authorities said they were unsure what motivated the climber.

“Issue appears to be between the man and the tree,” the police tweeted Tuesday.

Seattle residents were surprised, and in many cases delighted, to wake up Wednesday morning and discover the man was still perched near the top of the tree. The man, wearing a long beard and disheveled clothes, had rebuffed attempts by negotiators to communicate, yelling and throwing objects — including branches and cones from the tree and an apple — at officers on the street. He claimed he had a knife, the police said.

“Due to his violent behavior and threats, and the man’s precarious position high above the ground, police are taking extreme caution to ensure the safety of everyone involved,” the police said in a statement.