A security alert was triggered at the White House on Thursday after a man scaled a construction barrier near the Treasury Building, prompting US Secret Service officers to detain him. The incident occurred at approximately 11:30am local time in Washington DC.
The man, whose identity has not yet been released, jumped over a construction bollard on the north-east side of the complex in an alleged attempt to breach the perimeter, according to a Secret Service spokesperson. He was intercepted almost instantly and taken into custody after a physical altercation.
One Secret Service officer sustained a non-life-threatening laceration during the incident. Both the officer and the suspect were taken to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation. Secret Service Communications Chief Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the details, stating that officers encountered the individual near a pedestrian gate.
White House operations continued as usual, though security in the vicinity was heightened. The Secret Service is collaborating with District of Columbia police and US Park Police. This incident follows reports from April 5 that the Secret Service investigated accounts of gunfire near Lafayette Park, opposite the White House, though no injuries or suspects were found.
