The White House was under lockdown and part of Pennsylvania Avenue was closed due to a suspicious package that turned out not to be a threat.
The Secret Service announced the lockdown over Twitter and closed down foot traffic around the White House. The lockdown went into effect shortly after 11 a.m. but was lifted around 12:30 p.m.
“Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers are responding to an incident involving a suspicious package located on Pennsylvania Ave. Pedestrian traffic is closed along Pennsylvania Ave. between 15th and 17th streets to include Lafayette Park,” a tweet from the Secret Service read.
Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers are responding to an incident involving a suspicious package located on Pennsylvania Ave. Pedestrian traffic is closed along Pennsylvania Ave. between 15th and 17th streets to include Lafayette Park. pic.twitter.com/t7veePoDb7
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) June 24, 2019
The White House is in lockdown, again. Reason unknown. Last week, someone dropped a bag on Pennsylvania Ave. TV reporters have moved their shots indoors as we wait for details pic.twitter.com/xsvhu7KjJZ
— Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) June 24, 2019
During the lockdown, President Trump briefed reporters about new sanctions targeting Iran’s leader and other top Iranian officials.
The Secret Service later tweeted out that the package was not a threat and that the area around the White House would soon be open.
UPDATE: The package along Pennsylvania Ave. has been declared safe by Secret Service and @DCPoliceDept. Pedestrian road closures will be lifted shortly.
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) June 24, 2019
Monday’s lockdown comes less than a week after the area was briefly shut down when a man dropped his backpack and attempted to jump a bike rack along Pennsylvania Avenue.
