White House area shut down after van breaches security barricade
The Straits Times
The driver was taken into custody and there were no reported injuries following the pre-dawn incident. Read more at straitstimes.com.
WASHINGTON - A van smashed through a security barricade near the White House early on March 11, authorities said, forcing a temporary shutdown of the area in downtown Washington during morning rush hour.
The driver was taken into custody and there were no reported injuries following the pre-dawn incident at Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.
A police bomb squad cleared the vehicle and declared the scene safe, said a spokesperson for the US Secret Service, which handles presidential security.
“The individual is currently being interviewed by the Secret Service and criminal charges are pending,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Washington has been under heightened security amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
Dozens of emergency vehicles with lights flashing descended on the scene, as police closed several major streets around the White House.
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