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| Intruder who scaled White House fence arrested by US secret service | Intruder who scaled White House fence arrested by US secret service |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The US secret service arrested a person who climbed the White House perimeter fence and breached the mansion’s south grounds on Friday night. | The US secret service arrested a person who climbed the White House perimeter fence and breached the mansion’s south grounds on Friday night. |
| The breach happened at about 11.38pm Friday night, the agency said, while Donald Trump was at the White House. The person “scaled the outer perimeter fence by the Treasury Building and East Executive Avenue”, the agency said in a statement. | The breach happened at about 11.38pm Friday night, the agency said, while Donald Trump was at the White House. The person “scaled the outer perimeter fence by the Treasury Building and East Executive Avenue”, the agency said in a statement. |
| The person, whom the agency did not identify, was arrested without incident. No hazardous materials were found during a search of a backpack the person carried, nor on the north and south grounds. | The person, whom the agency did not identify, was arrested without incident. No hazardous materials were found during a search of a backpack the person carried, nor on the north and south grounds. |
| The secret service also says a search of the south and north grounds of the White House complex found “nothing of concern to security operations”. | The secret service also says a search of the south and north grounds of the White House complex found “nothing of concern to security operations”. |
| Neither the secret service nor Metropolitan police immediately returned calls or emails requesting further detail. Shortly after noon, local time, the presidential motorcade departed the White House grounds, taking the president to the golf club he owns in Potomac Falls, Virginia. | Neither the secret service nor Metropolitan police immediately returned calls or emails requesting further detail. Shortly after noon, local time, the presidential motorcade departed the White House grounds, taking the president to the golf club he owns in Potomac Falls, Virginia. |
| Speaking to reporters at the clubhouse, Trump said he had been briefed about the incident. “It was a troubled person,” he said. “It’s very sad, actually.” | |
| “Secret service did a fantastic job last night,” he added. | |
| Homeland security secretary John Kelly was also briefed on the incident, press secretary Sean Spicer said. The agency didn’t provide an update on the individual’s status. Standard practice is to hand intruders over to the local police department. | Homeland security secretary John Kelly was also briefed on the incident, press secretary Sean Spicer said. The agency didn’t provide an update on the individual’s status. Standard practice is to hand intruders over to the local police department. |
| Two years ago the secret service’s leadership was overhauled after a series of security breaches, the most serious of which took place in September 2014, when a former army sniper, Omar Gonzalez, climbed the fence and sprinted down the length of the White House’s East Room. Gonzalez carried a knife, and he had entered farther into the executive mansion than the agency had originally said. Barack Obama was not at the residence at the time of the incursion, which followed a series of other embarrassments. Eventually its chief at the time, Julia Pierson, resigned. | Two years ago the secret service’s leadership was overhauled after a series of security breaches, the most serious of which took place in September 2014, when a former army sniper, Omar Gonzalez, climbed the fence and sprinted down the length of the White House’s East Room. Gonzalez carried a knife, and he had entered farther into the executive mansion than the agency had originally said. Barack Obama was not at the residence at the time of the incursion, which followed a series of other embarrassments. Eventually its chief at the time, Julia Pierson, resigned. |
| Then in November 2015, a man wearing an American flag jumped the White House fence late on a Sunday night, carrying a package that was found to be harmless. In April last year another fence climber was arrested, and in May a person was shot by secret service after he approached White House security with a gun. | Then in November 2015, a man wearing an American flag jumped the White House fence late on a Sunday night, carrying a package that was found to be harmless. In April last year another fence climber was arrested, and in May a person was shot by secret service after he approached White House security with a gun. |
| The official appointed by Obama to replace Pierson, Joseph Clancy, said in February intended to resign in March so that Trump could name his own security chief. | The official appointed by Obama to replace Pierson, Joseph Clancy, said in February intended to resign in March so that Trump could name his own security chief. |
| The Associated Press contributed to this report. | The Associated Press contributed to this report. |