The Secret Service detained a man Thursday afternoon who was apparently trying to fly a remote-controlled drone over the fence and into the White House complex.
The agency placed Lafayette Park, which is across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House on the north, in lockdown while officers and agents investigated the incident but has since lifted it.
News of the incident broke as White House officials were holding a press briefing at Camp David, where President Obama is huddled with leaders of the Arab Gulf states in an attempt to reassure them over the administration’s negotiations with Iran on rolling back its nuclear program.
Asked about the drone incident at Camp David, Earnest remarked, “That is a quick response, isn’t it?”
“I was aware of this issue right before we walked in,” he said. “I would refer you to the Secret Service. They would be able to speak to it.”
The Secret Service confirmed the drone incident in a statement. “At approximately 1:09 pm today, a small UAV was identified by U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers flying over Lafayette Park at approximately 100 feet in altitude. An individual was detained by USSS Officers and instructed to land the small UAV. The individual complied and the small UAV was recovered in Lafayette Park. As a precaution, the small UAV was swept and declared safe by the Metropolitan Police Department. The individual was turned over to the custody of the U.S. Park Police.”
It’s the second incident at the White House this year involving a drone. Nearly four months ago a U.S. intelligence agency employee who admitted to drinking alcohol that evening crashed a small remote-controlled drone on the White House lawn around 3 a.m.
