The White House was placed under a brief lockdown on Monday after two separate security incidents near the presidential complex in Washington DC, in which a car crashed onto the sidewalk surrounding Lafayette Park and another person jumped a barricade. The US Secret Service arrested two people in connection with the incidents.
President Donald Trump was at the White House when the incidents occurred. Security personnel temporarily restricted movement around the presidential complex, while roads surrounding Lafayette Park were closed as authorities responded.
A silver sedan drove onto the paved area at the northern end of Lafayette Square and struck a signpost. The driver was seen getting out of the smoking vehicle and began fighting security personnel, according to a video shot by a journalist of The Washington Sun.
The driver was then taken into custody after a confrontation with security personnel. However, details about the driver's identity, the circumstances leading to the crash and a possible motive were not immediately available.
"The driver was combative with law enforcement, but was quickly placed under arrest," the spokesperson said.
Around the same time, a second individual jumped a barricade near the northwest corner of Lafayette Park. The person was also arrested by security personnel, the Secret Service said.
The lockdown was lifted after the security operation concluded and the arrests were made, with officials subsequently clearing the area.
The Secret Service said both incidents were under investigation. Further details about the incident, including whether anyone was injured and whether the crash was deliberate, were awaited.
Lafayette Square is located directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House and is a prominent public space near the presidential complex. The crash prompted a security response in the area, leading to temporary restrictions around the White House.
- Ends
