Man arrested after climbing White House fence

Secret Service respond on the North Lawn of the White House after a man jumped the White House fence, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, in Washington. The Secret Service apprehended the man who jumped over the White House fence. This latest incident comes about a month after a previous White House fence jumper sprinted across the lawn, past armed uniformed agents and entered the mansion. AP

WASHINGTON — A man who climbed over the White House fence Wednesday was nabbed by Secret Service agents and dogs, a spokesman for the elite agency said.

“At approximately 7:16 p.m. (1116 GMT), an individual climbed the north fence line of the White House,” the spokesman said.

“The individual was immediately taken into custody on the north lawn of the White House by Secret Service Uniformed Division K-9 teams and Uniformed Division Officers.”

Video on local media appeared to show a man being intercepted by officers before he had a chance to reach the White House.

“The subject is being transported to a local hospital for evaluation,” the Secret Service spokesman added.

On September 19, another man, Omar Gonzalez, jumped the White House fence and allegedly sprinted across the lawn and entered the building with a knife in his pocket.

Gonzalez has been indicted on two counts of “assaulting, resisting, or impeding” US Secret Service agents.

In jail since his arrest, Gonzalez is an Iraq veteran reportedly suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

He is accused of entering the main door of the White House after sprinting across the presidential mansion’s lawn. The president and his family had left the White House only a short time before.

This and other security lapses sparked withering criticism of the Secret Service and led to the resignation of the head of the elite presidential protection agency.

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