White House security breach: Man rams car into Secret Service gate, arrested

A man was taken into custody for driving his car into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.

The US Secret Service said the man crashed into the security gate at a White House entrance at 10:37 pm on Tuesday. The man was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service's uniformed division, the agency said.

Investigators searched his car and deemed it to be safe, Secret Service officials said in a statement.

Authorities did not immediately provide any additional information about the crash, the driver's identity or any potential motivation.

Visuals from the crash outside the White House have gone viral on social media. The footage shows Secret Service officers examining the damaged car, taking measurements, and photographing the vehicle.

According to the Secret Service, US President Trump was in the White House at the time of the incident.

Although the White House was not placed on lockdown, the road leading to the gate was closed until police towed the vehicle away.

This is not the first time a vehicle has crashed at the White House gates. Similar incidents were reported last year, in both January and May.

The crash comes just days after a suspicious hunting stand was discovered with a line of sight to the area where President Trump would have exited Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Florida, on Sunday.

Security Breach at US Capitol?

In a similar incident, a Massachusetts man was found carrying a gun after taking a US Capitol tour and leaving the nearby Library of Congress in January this year. The US Secret Service and DC Metropolitan Police located him in a Washington hotel early Tuesday, questioned him, and searched the premises, but no firearm was found at that time, and no immediate action was taken. Later, however, it emerged that the man had managed to pass through Capitol security with a weapon during a public tour.

Following the incident, Capitol Police ordered a full review and mandated refresher training on security screening procedures “so this never happens again.” The officer responsible for screening at the Capitol Visitor Center magnetometer was suspended pending an internal investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility.

Capitol Police stated there was no indication the man intended to harm members of Congress. However, sources told ABC News that the situation raised serious concerns, as a potentially suicidal individual had toured the Capitol armed while the public and lawmakers were nearby.