On Monday, the White House was placed under lockdown when a car mounted the sidewalk, crashing into a sign near Lafayette Park while President Trump was inside.
Photo : AP
The US Secret Service arrested two people following separate security incidents near the White House in Washington, DC, on Monday, November 9, after a vehicle crashed onto a pavement and another individual jumped a security barricade, prompting a temporary lockdown.
According to the Secret Service, officers and National Guard members responded shortly before 10 am to the north side of Lafayette Park, near the intersection of 16th and H streets NW, after a vehicle mounted the pavement.
The driver was described as combative with law enforcement officers and was quickly taken into custody. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was also called in to examine the vehicle as a precaution, while roads around Lafayette Park were closed.
In a separate incident around the same time, another individual jumped a barricade near the north-western corner of Lafayette Park. Secret Service officers arrested that person as well, bringing the total number of people detained to two.
The incidents triggered a security lockdown around the White House, with journalists and other personnel instructed to remain indoors. The lockdown was lifted at around 11 am, according to a White House press pool report.
The vehicle had crashed into an informational sign near the park, north of the White House. It did not reach the presidential residence or its gates.
President Donald Trump was at the White House at the time, preparing for meetings. No injuries were immediately reported.
