Man Arrested Outside White House Grounds After Climbing Over Bike Rack
WASHINGTON, D.C. — -- The Secret Service arrested a man this afternoon who climbed a temporary bicycle rack outside the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The attempt, which occurred at around 2:15 p.m., was unsuccessful, Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary said.
The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was transported to the District of Columbia Police and taken into custody. He is being charged with unlawful entry.
Just last week, a small drone -- or "quad copter" -- was found on the White House grounds.
Two law enforcement officials told ABC News that the drone belonged to a government employee who claimed he lost control of it. The drone's owner also told ABC News that he's convinced the company who manufactured this particular drone is to blame. The drone that landed was not considered a threat, and President Obama was away from Washington at the time.
The Secret Service is still conducting an investigation into the incident last Monday.
These breaches raise questions about presidential security, especially after a less-than-stellar performance by the Secret Service in 2014.
Former Secret Service Director Julia Pierson was forced to resign following a September incident in which a White House fence jumper managed to enter the executive mansion through the North Portico, running past the Obama family's living quarters and into the East Room before he was tackled by an agent.
Then, during the president's September visit to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, it was discovered that President Obama rode an elevator with an armed security contractor who had a criminal record. The man was flagged because he was taking pictures and acting unprofessional in the elevator, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Also in March, three counter-assault agents responsible for protecting the president in Amsterdam were sent home after getting drunk less than 10 hours before they were expected to report for duty, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service confirmed to ABC News at the time.
