Washington: On Monday, US authorities apprehended an individual near the White House who had crashed a vehicle into an exterior gate of the presidential mansion complex, according to the Secret Service. President Joe Biden was not present during the incident, and security officials have not clarified whether it was a traffic accident or an intentional attack.
“Shortly before 6:00 pm (2300 GMT), a vehicle collided with an exterior gate on the White House complex. The driver has been taken into custody & we are investigating the cause & manner of the collision,” stated US Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi on X, formerly Twitter.
Shortly before 6p.m., a vehicle collided with an exterior gate on the White House complex. The driver has been taken into custody & we are investigating the cause & manner of the collision. Expect traffic implications at 15th Street & Pennsylvania Ave & adjacent intersections. pic.twitter.com/n3M7zsFkvm
— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) January 8, 2024
The collision is believed to have occurred on the northeast side of the complex, with Guglielmi warning of “traffic implications” at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Although the vehicle was later cleared by Washington police, Guglielmi emphasized that “the driver remains in custody and our investigation continues.”
Recent years have witnessed a series of high-profile trespassing incidents at the White House, prompting increased security measures, such as the construction of a higher, more robust metal fence around the iconic mansion’s perimeter in 2020. Notably, in 2017, an individual who scaled a White House fence roamed the grounds for over 16 minutes before being apprehended while then-President Donald Trump was inside. Similarly, in 2014, during Barack Obama’s presidency, a disturbed US Army veteran jumped the White House fence, sprinted across the lawn, and entered the building with a knife in his pocket.
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