A man made an attempt to breach the White House security by leaping over a barrier, leading to US Secret Service officers subduing him. The incident occurred around 11:30am local time on Thursday in Washington DC, triggering a security alert at the White House. The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, scaled a construction bollard near the Treasury Building on the complex’s north-east side, as stated by a Secret Service spokesperson.
The intruder was swiftly intercepted and apprehended, with one officer sustaining a minor laceration during a physical confrontation with the man. Both the officer and the suspect were transported to a nearby hospital for assessment.
According to Secret Service Communications Chief Anthony Guglielmi, the man was swiftly detained by uniformed US Secret Service police officers after clearing the construction bollard near the Treasury Building. The encounter took place near a pedestrian gate, where a scuffle ensued before the man was taken into custody. The injured officer and the suspect received medical evaluations for non-life-threatening injuries.
This incident follows the US Secret Service’s investigation into reports of gunfire near Lafayette Park on April 5, which is situated opposite the White House. Despite no injuries reported and the absence of a suspect following a thorough search of the park and its vicinity after midnight, security measures were heightened in the area. President Donald Trump was present at the White House over the weekend.
While White House operations continued as usual, security was bolstered in the vicinity, with the Secret Service collaborating with the District of Columbia police and US Park Police to ensure safety.
In a separate incident in 2014, Omar Gonzalez, an Iraq War veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, breached the White House perimeter by jumping the fence on the Pennsylvania Avenue side and gaining entry into the building before being apprehended by security personnel.